1
as in to mute
to deaden the sound of
the walls muffled their conversation so that only a low murmur was heard
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to wrap
to surround or cover closely
the airport had been muffled in fog all morning long
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of muffle
The sound of a backstage vocal warmup was muffled by thick stage curtains.
—
Melanie Asmar, Denver Post, 20 Mar. 2026
David’s mother buried her head into her husband’s shoulders, trying to muffle her cries.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2026
Bunny, wearing a knitted Balaclava and carrying a clip board, called out commands to the chief electrician in a voice muffled with pain.
—Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
Taylor Logsdon, who lives close to the power plant and is part of a community group opposing the project, said the sound wall hasn’t done much to muffle the turbines or reassure neighbors.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for muffle
Melanie Asmar, Denver Post, 20 Mar. 2026
David’s mother buried her head into her husband’s shoulders, trying to muffle her cries.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2026
Bunny, wearing a knitted Balaclava and carrying a clip board, called out commands to the chief electrician in a voice muffled with pain.
—Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
Taylor Logsdon, who lives close to the power plant and is part of a community group opposing the project, said the sound wall hasn’t done much to muffle the turbines or reassure neighbors.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for muffle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muffle
Verb
-
The findings reveal a lot of variance by sector, and muted total job growth.—
Bob Herman,
STAT,
30 Mar. 2026
-
This year’s hard freeze that melted most of our daffodils also took the edge off many of the Bradford pear blooms, muting the usual burst of white flowers across the landscape.—
Markis Hill,
Kansas City Star,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Her remains were bound with rope inside a black plastic bag which was wrapped with duct tape, according to a court filing.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
After a follow-up procedure — during which doctors placed a pair of stents in his heart — and some rehab, Stevens wrapped his recovery at home.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Academic journals struggled to put out issues, stifled by high printing costs and staff layoffs, scrounging for enough articles to fill their pages and paying subscribers to read them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
-
There are those, however, who do not see regulation as a stifling force.—
Francesca Cassidy,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
For Artemis, the astronauts will remain on board their capsule until the ship has enveloped the Orion in its well deck.—
Robert Z. Pearlman,
Space.com,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Some are right on the sea, others enveloped in rosemary, bougainvillea, and olive trees.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Covered almost entirely in glass, the light and airy expanse hosts the bridge and a spacious open or enclosed lounge that can also serve as a gym and wellness area.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
1 Apr. 2026
-
This Near Northside eatery still has seats open in its dining room, enclosed veranda and (weather permitting) outside patio Easter Sunday.—
Bradley Hohulin,
IndyStar,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
On shrill winter nights, Moscow’s power is conspicuous, its Orthodox cathedrals and Stalinist high-rises illuminated, though the view falls dim in the autumn and spring, shrouded in sheets of greige.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
-
That is because these still-growing stellar infants are shrouded in natal blankets of gas and dust that readily block and absorb light, preventing most telescopes from seeing them.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The tourbillon version encases an appealing tension between the 270-piece complication’s visceral architecture and Roth’s flair for aristocratic typefaces and theatrical curves.—
Adam Erace,
Fortune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Most bathrooms come with showers encased in rounded Crittal-style glass.—
Travis Levius,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Meta-analyses encompassing more than 170,000 participants have demonstrated a 25% reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events and significant reductions in all-cause mortality.—
Vikas Patel,
STAT,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The sphere of influence encompasses an approximately 40,000-mile radius region around the moon.—
ByMary Kekatos,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Muffle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muffle. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
