muffles

verb

present tense third-person singular of muffle
1
as in mutes
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 wraps
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 muffles Although the snow sometimes muffles the thunder, the lightning can be seen, said meteorologist Grant Gilmore, formerly of WFMY-TV in Greensboro, North Carolina. — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 25 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muffles
  1. mutes
  2. wraps
  3. stifles
  4. envelops
  5. shrouds
  6. encloses
  7. encases
  8. encompasses
Verb
  • The boom automatically mutes the microphone when lifted and can answer incoming calls simply by being lowered.
    — Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • Using a vegetable peeler, shave a modest amount of Parmesan onto a plate (a mound of grated Parmesan may look impressive, but all that clumpy cheese mutes the dressing).
    — Sue Li, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 June 2026
Definition of mutes
Verb
  • Max wraps both hands around her throat before a guard tackles him.
    — JP Mangalindan, Time, 31 July 2026
  • Curved French doors open onto your own private terrace that wraps around the suite and looks out over the city’s rooftops.
    — Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 29 July 2026
Definition of wraps
Verb
  • Landscape fabric acts as a barrier that stifles this living, dynamic process.
    — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 July 2026
  • In a Knight Foundation study, 56% of students reported believing that social media stifles free expression due to fear of being attacked.
    — Ravi Iyer, Time, 18 July 2026
Definition of stifles
Verb
  • The cylindrical backrest envelops the guest, encouraging conversation and connection.
    — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 23 July 2026
  • Government officials met late Monday to talk about strategies as two backhoes continue cleanup efforts while a powerful smell envelops the area.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 July 2026
Definition of envelops
Verb
  • Officials recommended Friday that Marylanders, especially those with underlying medical conditions, stay indoors as the smoke shrouds the state.
    — Nicole Pilsbury, Baltimore Sun, 17 July 2026
  • To understand why that shrouds a black hole in mystery, consider how no signal can travel faster than light.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of shrouds
Verb
  • When a flower matures, the ovary of the flower matures into a fruit, and that fruit encloses the seeds.
    — Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 30 July 2026
  • Native palms and trees are drawn to the property’s edge, forming a living barrier that encloses without isolating.
    — Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Definition of encloses
Verb
  • The plastic that encases laundry pods dissolves and rinses out with the excess water.
    — Katelyn Chef, Southern Living, 18 June 2026
  • The faux hair encases her locs, allowing the blonde to be the focal point of the look.
    — Larry Stansbury, InStyle, 25 May 2026
Definition of encases
Verb
  • The district that encompasses the park, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, had closed playgrounds and sports facilities, including a swimming pool.
    — Ben Crair, New Yorker, 31 July 2026
  • This category also encompasses creams or pastes—essentially anything that can be passed through with a butter knife—from common travel necessities like shampoo, face wash, and sunscreen; to toothpaste, hairspray, and even peanut butter.
    — Rachel Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 July 2026
Definition of encompasses

Browse Nearby Words

mufflers
muffles
muffling
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Muffles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muffles. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on muffles

Nglish: Translation of muffles for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of élan

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All