as in muted
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1
as in stifled
to deaden the sound of
the walls muffled their conversation so that only a low murmur was heard
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wrapped
to surround or cover closely
the airport had been muffled in fog all morning long
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of muffled
Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026
That quiet was punctuated only by muffled bangs, as Sugar Bowl ski patrollers set off explosives in the peaks above to mitigate the danger of an avalanche inbounds at the resort.
—Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 20 Feb. 2026
My sisters teased me about my muffled giggles under the covers in the middle of the night.
—Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
However, her panicked words are met with muffled sounds and a quick hang-up.
—Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
Her voice is muffled because her face is pressed against his chest.
—Allegra Goodman, New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2026
The form can capture, perhaps better than any other, the muffled quality of cold afternoons and days spent indoors.
—The Atlantic Culture Desk, The Atlantic, 26 Dec. 2025
There’s a muffled quality to the voice, and all his vowels seem to bend in the middle.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2025
Ear Pain or Pressure A feeling of fullness in your ears, pain, or muffled hearing often means fluid has built up behind your eardrum.
—Health, 3 Dec. 2025
ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
The sound of a backstage vocal warmup was muffled by thick stage curtains.
—Melanie Asmar, Denver Post, 20 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
Highway traffic may have muffled the sound of gunshots.
—Graham Womack
updated January 15, Sacbee.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Using context-aware algorithms, this technology can, for example, be used to help distinguish between speech and noise, predict and suppress unwanted clamor in real time, and attempt to clean up speech that is muffled or distorted.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 Jan. 2026
The boy buried his face in his hands, and the thick nest of hair shook as if in a wind, and the sobs, though muffled, grew louder.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
Ignore that muffled screaming in the distance, that’s just the TV overlords punching air.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025
The summer noise of saplings and shrubs and bug nests and grass and flowers had been muffled by the snow.
—Hazlitt, 8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Day was dedicated to the bit, making Hernandez crack with muffled laughter.
—Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026
That quiet was punctuated only by muffled bangs, as Sugar Bowl ski patrollers set off explosives in the peaks above to mitigate the danger of an avalanche inbounds at the resort.
—Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 20 Feb. 2026
My sisters teased me about my muffled giggles under the covers in the middle of the night.
—Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
However, her panicked words are met with muffled sounds and a quick hang-up.
—Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
Her voice is muffled because her face is pressed against his chest.
—Allegra Goodman, New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2026
The form can capture, perhaps better than any other, the muffled quality of cold afternoons and days spent indoors.
—The Atlantic Culture Desk, The Atlantic, 26 Dec. 2025
There’s a muffled quality to the voice, and all his vowels seem to bend in the middle.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2025
Ear Pain or Pressure A feeling of fullness in your ears, pain, or muffled hearing often means fluid has built up behind your eardrum.
—Health, 3 Dec. 2025
Verb
Their calls are often muffled by static and wind because his cousin uses two phones to conduct them — one to call Fattahi and the other to reach his mother.
—ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
The sound of a backstage vocal warmup was muffled by thick stage curtains.
—Melanie Asmar, Denver Post, 20 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
Highway traffic may have muffled the sound of gunshots.
—Graham Womack
updated January 15, Sacbee.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Using context-aware algorithms, this technology can, for example, be used to help distinguish between speech and noise, predict and suppress unwanted clamor in real time, and attempt to clean up speech that is muffled or distorted.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 Jan. 2026
The boy buried his face in his hands, and the thick nest of hair shook as if in a wind, and the sobs, though muffled, grew louder.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
Ignore that muffled screaming in the distance, that’s just the TV overlords punching air.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025
The summer noise of saplings and shrubs and bug nests and grass and flowers had been muffled by the snow.
—Hazlitt, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muffled
Adjective
-
The cautious move in oil prices and relatively muted decline in Treasury yields suggest investors remain somewhat skeptical about an immediate end to the war.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Calm interiors in muted shades of sand and tan do not overpower the landscape, which is the star of the show.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Angels’ offense was stifled in a 10-inning, 3-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners during their home opener Friday night in front of 44,931 fans at Angel Stadium.—
Anthony Solorzano,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Booga took his post, standing at the bow while Gerry wrapped Mac in a heavy blanket and a wool watch cap.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Rogers, Shelton, Justin Topa and executive chair Tom Pohlad spoke to the group before Buxton wrapped it up by saying a few words.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Room-temperature eggs, along with softened butter and cream cheese, blend more smoothly, helping the batter emulsify and bake evenly.—
Inés Anguiano,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
16 Mar. 2026
-
The ground beef was chopped fine on the grill and folded together with sweet, softened onions and perfectly melted American cheese, all tucked into a soft roll with crisp lettuce and tomato for balance.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
China's use of executions — carried out by firing squads or lethal injections — is shrouded in secrecy but has long been extensive.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
As much as this music ties itself to the beauty of the physical world, it’s also enveloped by a thick fog.—
Vrinda Jagota,
Pitchfork,
19 Mar. 2026
-
The roughly 2,600-square-foot structure is set into a sloping site and enveloped in the natural landscape along a private road.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
There’s a beguiling dissonance between the hushed voiceover and the images of ships carrying cables and dropping them in the ocean for the internet to reach the island.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
20 Mar. 2026
-
That was on display as volunteers spoke of the lighthouse’s history in hushed, reverent voices.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 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
Cite this Entry
“Muffled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muffled. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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