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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of mute
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
19 June 2026
Works With Smartphones Additional features include dedicated mute buttons, gain indicators and separate controls for headphone and monitor outputs for more flexibility across recording and monitoring usage.
—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
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
ABC News,
19 June 2026
Without reparative justice, Juneteenth is muted, symbolic, but not transformative.
—
Marcus Anthony Hunter,
Time,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for mute
Adjective
If all three sons were playing at the same time, Elliss originally kept two TVs on mute while focusing on whichever team was on defense.
—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
19 June 2026
Works With Smartphones Additional features include dedicated mute buttons, gain indicators and separate controls for headphone and monitor outputs for more flexibility across recording and monitoring usage.
—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Noun
On a recent afternoon, the pair of mutes roamed the tiered backyard.
—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
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
Verb
Ayari scored twice in the team’s opener against Tunisia but muted his celebrations out of respect for his father’s home country.
—
ABC News,
19 June 2026
Without reparative justice, Juneteenth is muted, symbolic, but not transformative.
—
Marcus Anthony Hunter,
Time,
19 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.
-
In helicopter video taken by Air Maui Helicopter Tours in Lahaina and posted online the people aboard are largely speechless.
Adjective
-
And when Cape Verde’s Deroy Duarte evened the score with a right footed shot from a difficult angle at the 59-minute mark, the stunned stadium went silent, minus two small spirited clots of Cape Verde fans in the East end zone seats.
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The flags are saved for periodic retirement ceremonies that involve reciting a script, standing at attention, a moment of silent reflection, and the subsequent burning.
Noun
-
Julie Heckman says high humidity can literally put a damper on fireworks shows.
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But the fact that Apple was forced to raise prices—despite its famous supply chain prowess and its massive purchasing power, not to mention the potential damper on demand—sent a shockwave through the global markets.
Verb
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Davis crafted a marquee lineup that included Springsteen, Earth, Wind & Fire, Jennifer Hudson, The Killers and Paul Simon, but a massive thunderstorm silenced the show before many of the top names could perform.
-
Your method of dismissing your flippant remarks, then, is probably the next best option to silence.
Verb
-
As a further precaution, consider adding background noise, like the TV or a white noise machine, to help muffle the sounds.
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Missing crucial orders because a voice is muffled, or struggling to pull out an emergency fire shelter because a mask is in the way, could be the difference between life and death.
Adjective
-
Even though Clinton’s remarks Saturday received muted response on cable news due to the heatwave and Trump’s excesses, online the former President deftly tapped into the shifts among Democrats for a more combative approach to curb MAGA.
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Her bronzed makeup look consisted of taupe eyeshadow, black eyeliner, rosy cheeks, and a muted matte lip.
Verb
-
His interactions with Daemon (Matt Smith) last season, going so far as to shush him at one point, were a breath of fresh air.
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As the moment unfolded, Savannah shushed the future king and even briefly placed her hand over his mouth in an effort to keep him composed.
Verb
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Thursday's layoffs data showed that the four-week moving average of jobless claims, which quiets some of the week-to-week noise, fell by 2,500 to 222,000.
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The Calm app has guided meditations, breathing exercises, sleep stories, and music designed to reduce anxiety and quiet the nervous system.
Cite this Entry
“Mute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mute. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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