Synonyms of mute

mute 1 of 4

adjective

ˈmyüt 

1

as in speechless

unable to speak

the child is both deaf and mute because her hearing was lost at birth

Synonyms & Similar Words

• speechless
• silent
• voiceless
• inarticulate
• quiet
• reserved
• incomprehensible
• taciturn
• incoherent
• tongue-tied
• uncommunicative
• laconic
• reticent
• nonspeaking
• wordless
• mum
• closemouthed
• tight-lipped

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• vocal
• talkative
• communicative
• loquacious
• garrulous
• expansive
• chatty
• talky
• speaking
• gabby
• talking
• blabby
• articulate
• eloquent
• voluble
• fluent
• expatiating
• speaking out
• speaking up
• articulating

2

as in silent

deliberately refraining from speech

remained mute no matter how much we pleaded for an answer

Synonyms & Similar Words

• silent
• speechless
• muted
• mum
• wordless
• uncommunicative
• inarticulate
• voiceless
• nonvocal
• dumbstruck
• tongue-tied
• sulky
• sullen
• sulking

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• speaking
• communicative
• talking
• articulate
• eloquent
• voluble
• vocal
• fluent
• talkative
• well-spoken
• loquacious
• garrulous
• outspoken
• talky
• unreserved
• gabby
• glib
• facile
• silver-tongued
• smooth-tongued

mute

2 of 4

noun (1)

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

• quieter
• damper
• softener
• soft pedal
• muffler

mute

3 of 4

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

• silence
• shush
• quiet
• dumb
• hush
• settle
• still
• shut up
• extinguish
• quell
• squelch
• quieten

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• stir
• agitate

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

• muffle
• stifle
• tone (down)
• soften
• pad
• insulate
• mellow
• soundproof
• subdue
• baffle
• dampen
• smother

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• increase
• unmuffle
• enhance
• amplify
• heighten
• deepen
• strengthen
• step up
• magnify
• boost

muteness

4 of 4

noun (2)

as in silence

incapacity for or restraint from speaking

we were baffled by his uncharacteristic muteness

Synonyms & Similar Words

• silence
• speechlessness
• stillness
• voicelessness
• inarticulateness
• reticence
• taciturnity
• inarticulacy
• reticency
• reserve

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• communication
• speaking
• talking
• eloquence
• fluency
• volubility
• loquacity
• talkativeness
• garrulousness
• loquaciousness
• verbosity
• wordiness
• chattiness
• talkiness
• windiness
• verboseness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of mute

Adjective

Although networks must understand that the audience could truly just press the mute button and watch in silence, the contracts for these broadcasters keep getting sillier and sillier. — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Equipped with the master sword and the Hylian Shield straight out the video game, Rosenauer tried to stay mute just like his character. — Rashad Alexander august 31, Kansas City Star, 31 Aug. 2026

Noun

Huffman turned his mute on and his camera off. — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 9 Mar. 2026

Gazes tangle, sound mutes, time bends. — Addie Citchens, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026

Verb

Colors, especially reds, were often a bit muted, probably due to the combination of the limited color coverage and modest brightness. — Tony Hoffman, PC Magazine, 26 Sep. 2026

Experts have kept expectations muted for a summit likely to yield few major deliverables, even as the leaders' first meeting carries real geopolitical risk. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026

Noun

Audrey Hudson, twenty-four, is a gifted battlefield surgeon who feigns muteness to comfort Carter Reynolds, a combat soldier deafened by an explosion. — Chang Che, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026

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