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
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Recent Examples of mute
Dominic Patten, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2026
Atkin rotates uphill, alley oop, in the opposite direction to the natural flow of the pipe, and spins 540 degrees (one and a half rotations) before finishing with a mute grab.
—Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2026
Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 8 Dec. 2025
Detwiler mutes or turns off the bodycam a few times throughout the arrest.
—Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 2 Dec. 2025
Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2026
The attacks came a day after Israeli airstrikes hit in Tehran as Iranians celebrated the Persian New Year, known as Nowruz, a normally festive holiday that has been muted by the war.
—ABC News, 21 Mar. 2026
Matteo Atti, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mute
Adjective
Other members of the fractured Jackson clan have remained unusually mute on the battle — even as Paris’ aunt Janet Jackson was very publicly out and about at recent runway shows in the City of Lights.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2026
Atkin rotates uphill, alley oop, in the opposite direction to the natural flow of the pipe, and spins 540 degrees (one and a half rotations) before finishing with a mute grab.
—Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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
Detwiler mutes or turns off the bodycam a few times throughout the arrest.
—Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 2 Dec. 2025
Verb
Throughout the theater, the colors are springlike and muted, pastels that are lightly bright and storybook-inspired.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2026
The attacks came a day after Israeli airstrikes hit in Tehran as Iranians celebrated the Persian New Year, known as Nowruz, a normally festive holiday that has been muted by the war.
—ABC News, 21 Mar. 2026
Noun
Her media muteness gave her an icy cool, letting her work do the talking, both attributes that many luxury brands aspire to.
—Matteo Atti, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
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
-
Both sides are silent right now, but a release from the WGA and the AMPTP is expected soon(ish).—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
4 Apr. 2026
-
But the most impactful force on the court could be the silent, invisible sixth man – the mind gym.—
Haley Sawyer,
Daily News,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
If anyone doubted the region’s prominence in the sport, Betts says the naysayers have been silenced.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 2026
-
But Spokane’s Joe Gallardo jumped in front of the clearance at the edge of the box, beat Andema to the loose ball and tapped it in from 10 yards out before raising a finger to his lips to silence AC Boise’s supporters section.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The rhythmic sounds of construction muffle the thud of farmers' hoes on a chilly morning in Rwanda 's capital, where new efforts aim to protect remaining agricultural land from relentless development in Africa's most densely populated country.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
While Hazel Avenue is a busy street, traffic cannot be heard from inside the house and is muffled in the front yard.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The cautious move in oil prices and relatively muted decline in Treasury yields suggest investors remain somewhat skeptical about an immediate end to the war.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Calm interiors in muted shades of sand and tan do not overpower the landscape, which is the star of the show.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The six tell the woman to shush/hush.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Some shushed the crowds, urging them to be silent and reverent.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Research has linked prolonged exposure to that level of ambient noise to elevated stress and anxiety, so by quieting that baseline sensory load, ANC creates the right environment for some calming music or a meditation app to do its job.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Apr. 2026
-
In simpler terms, magnesium glycinate quiets excitatory brain signals, helps your body shift into sleep mode and reduces the stress hormones that keep you wired at night.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Warner Brothers waits to be subsumed by Netflix or Paramount, cinemas are losing customers to streaming, and franchise entertainment continues to dumb us all down.—
Michael O’Donnell,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The show turns ten this year, and its design remains resolutely old-school: no video pivot (yet), no attempts to tighten conversations, no instinct to dumb anything down.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mute. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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