1
as in speechless
unable to speak
the child is both deaf and mute because her hearing was lost at birth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in silent
deliberately refraining from speech
remained mute no matter how much we pleaded for an answer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in quieter
a device on a musical instrument that deadens or softens its tone
I was practicing my trumpet at three in the morning when the mute fell out, and I managed to wake everyone up
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
2
as in to muffle
to deaden the sound of
closing the windows muted the traffic noise so we could get to sleep
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mute
Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 23 May 2026
The shot went in, and the awe of Wemby pressed the mute button on the deafening arena.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 19 May 2026
New Atlas, 25 Dec. 2025
The mutes, the dropouts, the sense that an idea had sprung from the artist’s chest, been scrambled into code, then reassembled in a fugue.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 8 Dec. 2025
Elaine Chen, STAT, 9 June 2026
Roynon explains that color can lift good feng shui energy and mute any negative energy that may be lurking around.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for mute
Adjective
Kimiko uttered one word during the season five finale, which signified a return to form for her character, who was mute throughout the first four installments of the series.
—Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 23 May 2026
The shot went in, and the awe of Wemby pressed the mute button on the deafening arena.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 19 May 2026
Noun
Additional features include one-touch mute for up to 10 hours, micro-mesh insect protection, soft night lighting to minimize disturbance, and bilingual English and French voice alerts for multilingual households.
—New Atlas, 25 Dec. 2025
The mutes, the dropouts, the sense that an idea had sprung from the artist’s chest, been scrambled into code, then reassembled in a fugue.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 8 Dec. 2025
Verb
But the field has struggled to figure out a means of delivering RNA-muting molecules into organs and tissues beyond the liver, which has limited their reach.
—Elaine Chen, STAT, 9 June 2026
Roynon explains that color can lift good feng shui energy and mute any negative energy that may be lurking around.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for mute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mute
Adjective
-
His friends, from brother Luigi (Charlie Day) to Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) veer in a similar direction, somehow coming across less fully formed and three-dimensional than their nearly speechless inspirations from Nintendo‘s flagship franchise.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
31 Mar. 2026
-
In helicopter video taken by Air Maui Helicopter Tours in Lahaina and posted online the people aboard are largely speechless.—
Phil Helsel,
NBC News,
10 Aug. 2023
Adjective
-
For the next hour, pages turned until silent reading time made way for more conversation.—
Sneha Dhandapani,
CNN Money,
6 June 2026
-
Many people wait until ideas feel perfectly polished before contributing, which often leads them to remain silent too long.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
The dismissal was granted Friday under Washington’s Anti-SLAPP laws, which are designed to prevent meritless lawsuits intended to silence opposing points of view on matters of public interest.—
Melissa Goldin,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
-
The dismissal on Friday was granted under Washington's Anti-SLAPP laws, which are designed to prevent meritless lawsuits intended to silence opposing points of view on matters of public interest.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
But these suites are also closest to the elevators, and the historic walls don’t adequately muffle the sounds of other guests.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
Nolan's team and IMAX worked together to create a special housing for the camera to muffle the sound of its operation.—
Will Croxton,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
His trademark cool was sidelined by a more demonstrative style, closer to the theatrical sensibilities of 2Pac than the muted menace that once defined him.—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
3 June 2026
-
Breeding siblings The first step was to find a common bean plant with a muted In11 receptor.—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Prepare for upcoming heat waves Hot weather can quickly put a damper on walks.—
Amy DeYoung,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
-
But a Brunson turnover, the 11th Knicks turnover of the game, puts a damper on the party.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Trae Young won Madison Square Garden’s undying enmity in the 2021 playoffs for the Atlanta Hawks, punctuating game-breaking shots by shushing the crowd or bowing to the fans and waving goodbye.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
-
The chatter caused the emcees to not-so-playfully shush the crowd several times.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Ozempic quiets this noise for a lot of people.—
Ryan Brennan,
Sacbee.com,
10 June 2026
-
However, the Rams’ acquisition of Garrett puts a team that was firmly a Super Bowl favorite back in the conversation for a 2026 Super Bowl run, quieting the doubters who rose after the 2026 NFL Draft.—
Gladys Louise Tyler,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mute. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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