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
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Recent Examples of muffling
Acidification reduces the pH of seawater, which also diminishes sound absorption, so the stain of ship’s engine noise spreads further, muffling the songs of humpbacks and the codas of sperm whales.
—
Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026
The timeless linen is backed with a white blackout liner to block out as much light as possible without adding unnecessary bulk to your window frames while muffling the sound from your street.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2026
Ideal for bedrooms, nurseries, apartments with older doors, and homes with hardwood or tile floors, this $4 draft stopper can stop the chilly air from entering, while also muffling outside noises and blocking dust, pollen, and pests.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Feb. 2026
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
Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026
The timeless linen is backed with a white blackout liner to block out as much light as possible without adding unnecessary bulk to your window frames while muffling the sound from your street.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2026
Ideal for bedrooms, nurseries, apartments with older doors, and homes with hardwood or tile floors, this $4 draft stopper can stop the chilly air from entering, while also muffling outside noises and blocking dust, pollen, and pests.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muffling
Verb
-
Skipping a baby shower or muting a pregnancy announcement on social media are reasonable ways to protect your own emotional wellbeing during a difficult season.—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Scientists say this indicates that the medicines were muting the crustaceans' pain processing.—
Christopher Edwards,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But to start wrapping things up, Ben, your two previous books were both fiction—a novel and a short story collection.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 May 2026
-
But Boise responded, in part by wrapping flagpoles in the rainbow colors of the flag.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
While some can be overbearingly hot, the hammam here is kept at the perfect temperature with just the right amount of steam, never stifling or claustrophobic.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Rudy Gobert followed his inspired Game 2 effort against Nikola Jokic by stifling the three-time MVP again on an ugly 7-for-26 shooting night, and the Timberwolves established a postseason franchise record by allowing the Nuggets just 11 points in the tone-setting first quarter.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sunny skies and mild breezes are enveloping the Pharmalot campus once again.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
7 May 2026
-
Freddie Freeman reached Tucker first, enveloping him in a hug.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Congressional leaders, wired to protect their own and afraid of upsetting their narrow margins, are famous for shrouding ethics investigations in secrecy and dragging them out for years.—
Mary Ellen Klas,
Twin Cities,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Advertisement Israel has bombed oil depots in Tehran, shrouding the city in toxic black smoke, and attacked Iran’s South Pars gas field.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
These nanoreactors are built as porous shells enclosing an internal cavity that hosts catalytically active nanoparticles.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
3 May 2026
-
Archaeologists found that the site’s foragers had crafted small huts from brushwood, weaving them into dome-like structures enclosing a central hearth.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
The concrete cap of a tomb encasing radioactive fallout now has cracks, and what’s beneath can rise from the dead.—
Devika Rao,
TheWeek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The crunchy encasing pairs perfectly with the melty cheese and various fillings inside, including cheese, tinga, potato and chorizo, and raja (strips of peppers and onions).—
Carolyn Burt,
Oc Register,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Muffling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muffling. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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