mute 1 of 3

mute

2 of 3

noun

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

mute

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to silence
to stop the noise or speech of muted the television while she was on the phone

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mute
Adjective
Above that are two volume buttons, and the traditional mute switch is above. Ewan Spence, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025 Most are mute of tone, ghostly and compelled by nothing but seeking sustenance. William Earl, Variety, 2 Jan. 2025
Noun
Idealizing the beauty of the bucolic landscape often minimizes the labor tied to it, and so Yu disrupts any sense of the natural world as mute and pleasant. Washington Post, 29 Sep. 2021 Lenin, too, suffered from manic rage and erratic behavior, and died in his early fifties confined to a wheelchair after multiple strokes left him mute and paralyzed. Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 1 Apr. 2016
Verb
Congressional opposition to Trump was muted, too, compared to resistance at his first inauguration. Emily Hallas, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 20 Jan. 2025 Yes, Iowa fans have some scar tissue built up by an underachieving offense, but the angst over Gronowski’s shoulder has unfairly muted what should be a celebration. Scott Dochterman, The Athletic, 20 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for mute 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mute
Adjective
  • 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
  • Because his work, as is often the case, leaves us almost speechless.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Jan. 2023
Adjective
  • Humberto pressures him to keep silent but doing so would mean betraying his communitarian principles.
    Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2025
  • The library of Cohen Media Group’s founder, Charles S. Cohen, comprises more than one hundred restored classic titles spanning from the silent era to the present day, including The Buster Keaton Collection and The Merchant Ivory Collection.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Increasingly, college and university presidents are saying that this is not the time for such leadership cowardice and are using their voices, despite some boards mistakenly wanting to silence them.
    Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, TIME, 4 Feb. 2025
  • To eliminate the nominee performances is to silence songwriters.
    Pete Hammond, Deadline, 31 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • At pickup on a recent afternoon, the arched windows overlooking the Hudson muffled a screaming arctic wind.
    Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 18 Jan. 2025
  • However, while the snow sometimes muffles the thunder, the lightning can more easily be seen.
    Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 7 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The catastrophic Southern California wildfires, combined with winter storms and the presidential inauguration, have put an understandable damper on the latest leg of awards season, with most of this year’s Oscar contenders stepping back from the usual campaigning in recent weeks.
    Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2025
  • Make sure your fireplace damper is closed to ensure no cold air is seeping into your home.
    Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Visiting Villa manager Unai Emery had earlier been left angered by the decision to send off Jhon Duran with Tindall later seen shushing the Spaniard in the technical area.
    Callum Davis, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
  • In a sweet video shared on Instagram, the family could be seen hunkering down on a sectional couch, shushing each other and staring intently at their television screen as Kerry Washington and Andrew Garfield announced the nominees.
    Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Replay review upheld both calls, but that hasn’t quieted skeptics, who believe the Chiefs receive favorable treatment from game officials.
    Jeremy Engle, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2025
  • In the video, Payne is shown horsing around with a large outdoor crowd and his bandmates, encouraging the fans to quiet their screaming and then raise the volume all the way back up.
    Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 3 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • In order to save time, space, or money, audio companies will often take the design of a larger, more expensive device and dumb it down slightly to make a product that's more accessible, and probably better for most of us.
    Parker Hall, WIRED, 6 May 2021
  • To dumb it down, think about how action figures of the past had limited points of articulation.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near mute

Cite this Entry

“Mute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mute. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.

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