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
as in silence
incapacity for or restraint from speaking
we were baffled by his uncharacteristic muteness
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
Merve Emre, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
Please check back again soon for the recorded video.
LIVE
VIDEO TO BEGIN AFTER AD
Loaded: 0%
Progress: 0%
Use up and down arrows to change volume, and spacebar or enter to toggle mute.
—Dhruv Mehrotra, Wired News, 25 June 2025
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
Taylor Mims, Billboard, 23 June 2025
While recent inflation readings have been muted, Powell noted that more price increases are expected as a result of President Donald Trump’s tariffs, and the summer will be critical to determine the path forward.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for mute
Adjective
Among the main strategies of discretion was anonymity, which permitted the letter writers to retain some trace of privacy and the columnist to mute aspects of his personal identity.
—Merve Emre, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
Please check back again soon for the recorded video.
LIVE
VIDEO TO BEGIN AFTER AD
Loaded: 0%
Progress: 0%
Use up and down arrows to change volume, and spacebar or enter to toggle mute.
—Dhruv Mehrotra, Wired News, 25 June 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
When the band drove to North Carolina to record a portion of the album, Rhein purchased a vintage quilt along the way and used it for acoustic paneling and muting the drum kit.
—Taylor Mims, Billboard, 23 June 2025
While recent inflation readings have been muted, Powell noted that more price increases are expected as a result of President Donald Trump’s tariffs, and the summer will be critical to determine the path forward.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 18 June 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
-
Thus far, however, Tesla’s board has remained largely silent throughout Musk’s period of political activity.—
Christiaan Hetzner,
Fortune,
7 July 2025
-
Half of the speech is devoted to condemning slavery, its defenders and those who remain silent in its face.—
Frederic J. Fransen,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 July 2025
Verb
-
For Paul, the bout is another step in his attempt to silence the purists and reassert himself as more than a YouTube celebrity with gloves.—
Jad El Reda,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2025
-
Book bans, especially those silencing LGBTQ voices, communities of color, and authors of marginalized backgrounds, are sweeping the nation, sending a chilling message about whose stories deserve to be told.—
Linda Johnson,
New York Daily News,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
Rutter suggests using a white noise generator to muffle the loud booms of the fireworks.—
Kelsey Monstrola,
USA Today,
24 June 2025
-
As of February, staffers from DOGE had pushed top-ranking officials at the Department of Education out of their offices, rearranged the furniture and set up white noise machines to muffle their voices, according to employees at the agency.—
Lora Kolodny,Ari Levy,
CNBC,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The halter neckline, open back, and flowing fabric give it a breezy, resort-ready vibe—especially in the muted sage green.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
29 June 2025
-
Natural light pours in through the windows, highlighting the soft textures and muted palette.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
For a start, the cheers from the nearby Andy Murray Arena are loud and booming, but so too is the exclusive balcony area hanging just to the side of the court, where people are sipping their wine or their Pimm’s and chatting loudly (the judge on court 1 has to shush them at one point).—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
-
The crowd had just spent an entire overtime shushing each other.—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Verb
-
Musk, the former head of the advisory Department of Government Efficiency, had quieted his harsh criticism of Trump and the legislation the week after his departure from government May 30.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
28 June 2025
-
The Political Backlash None of that nuance has quieted the internet.—
James Broughel,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Verb
-
Even in highly specialized sectors like aerospace and defense, the best stories don’t dumb things down.—
Heather Rosenow,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
Where conspiracies dumb us down to eventually believe that nothing is actually true?—
S.E. Cupp,
New York Daily News,
4 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mute. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share