1
as in muting
to deaden the sound of
the walls muffled their conversation so that only a low murmur was heard
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wrapping
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
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Recent Examples of muffling
In addition, six interchanges were reconfigured and 7 miles of noise-muffling walls were installed.
—
Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2026
Kubiak found that easy to navigate with a conservative game plan in the season finale at the 49ers with a rushing attack that had 39 attempts for 180 yards while the Seahawks’ defense was muffling the opposition.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026
The active noise cancellation actually blocks sounds, instead of offering that fake muffling nonsense.
—PC Magazine, 22 Nov. 2025
Money floods into affected districts, muffling outrage precisely when constituents are most enraged.
—John J. Donohue, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
The music, which ranges from Motown to '80s alternative, enlivens the room without muffling conversations.
—Keith Pandolfi, Cincinnati Enquirer, 21 Aug. 2025
Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2026
Kubiak found that easy to navigate with a conservative game plan in the season finale at the 49ers with a rushing attack that had 39 attempts for 180 yards while the Seahawks’ defense was muffling the opposition.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026
The active noise cancellation actually blocks sounds, instead of offering that fake muffling nonsense.
—PC Magazine, 22 Nov. 2025
Money floods into affected districts, muffling outrage precisely when constituents are most enraged.
—John J. Donohue, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
The music, which ranges from Motown to '80s alternative, enlivens the room without muffling conversations.
—Keith Pandolfi, Cincinnati Enquirer, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muffling
Verb
-
So for anyone who’s struggling to create that distance, Jeter suggests starting small and committing to just one month of no direct communication—along with blocking or muting them online.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The two-year war that followed had a muting effect on deals between Israel and the UAE, as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza created a PR catastrophe for Israelis in the Gulf.—
Kelsey Warner,
semafor.com,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Clematis climbs by wrapping its short leaf stems around support structures and may initially require a string or wire to climb.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Beside her, the crowd crept forward, wrapping around Our Lady of Mount Carmel with Cupich at the front.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The soul singer left the stifling Mississippi heat for cool Minneapolis in 1955.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Expanding your team, shouldering more projects, and growing your office space may seem like natural progressions for a successful studio—but AD100 designer Miles Redd believes that accruing too much overhead can actually be stifling.—
AD PRO,
Architectural Digest,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Buildings of this style were often made of stone and could be identified by their elaborate asymmetrical rooflines, tourelles, and battlements with machicolations—all of which can be seen enveloping the façade of Ardross Castle.—
Alison McDermott,
Architectural Digest,
19 Feb. 2026
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In Camps’ hands, a cable or crewneck is never simply just that — there’s a playfulness to her draping and cutouts, subverted by the juxtaposition of gossamer-like fine gauge underpinnings with cozier, enveloping sweaters.—
Ari Stark,
Footwear News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
So unfortunately, right now there's a cloud of mystery still shrouding what's happening here.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The shrouding haze seemed to breathe, ebbing and flowing slowly, allowing momentary distant views that vanished with the next foggy breath.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Also new were the designer’s first jersey pieces, with draping departing from the rear and enclosing the shoulders, open on the midriff and sculpted around the hips.—
Alex Wynne,
Footwear News,
29 Jan. 2026
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And while the fence enclosing the yard is made of vinyl — which is flammable — the five-foot section closest to the house is a metal gate.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This week the arriving athletes seemed more interested in getting accustomed to their free Samsung phones and using their own gestures to direct a robotic hand behind glass to pick up a plastic ball encasing a mystery Olympic pin.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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Natural thawing eliminates damage caused by trying to remove ice encasing stems of perennials and shrubs.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Muffling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muffling. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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