1
as in shushing
to stop the noise or speech of
muted the television while she was on the phone
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in muffling
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
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Recent Examples of muting
The two-year war that followed had a muting effect on deals between Israel and the UAE, as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza created a PR catastrophe for Israelis in the Gulf.
—
Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 19 Jan. 2026
For much of the past year, neither side was willing to budge much from their respective stance, effectively muting any chance of a settlement.
—Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2025
The shell has enough shape to ease pressure on bony spots of the foot, and the liner offers just enough cushion to keep toes warm and circulation flowing, without muting feedback.
—Jenny Wiegand, Outside, 13 Nov. 2025
The newsroom union claims the change is throttling staff diversity and muting the magazine’s progressive political bent.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 3 Nov. 2025
And Democrats will remain the side fond of muting dissent.
—Newsweek Contributors, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Echo chambers can emerge, amplifying consensus while muting dissenting expertise.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
The Shag Originated in the late 1960s and popularized in the 1970s, the shag cut is comprised of short, choppy layers around the face, muting the body of hair on the sides.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 22 Aug. 2025
Gas prices likely fell in July and grocery costs are expected to barely increase, muting overall inflation.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2025
Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 19 Jan. 2026
For much of the past year, neither side was willing to budge much from their respective stance, effectively muting any chance of a settlement.
—Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2025
The shell has enough shape to ease pressure on bony spots of the foot, and the liner offers just enough cushion to keep toes warm and circulation flowing, without muting feedback.
—Jenny Wiegand, Outside, 13 Nov. 2025
The newsroom union claims the change is throttling staff diversity and muting the magazine’s progressive political bent.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 3 Nov. 2025
And Democrats will remain the side fond of muting dissent.
—Newsweek Contributors, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Echo chambers can emerge, amplifying consensus while muting dissenting expertise.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
The Shag Originated in the late 1960s and popularized in the 1970s, the shag cut is comprised of short, choppy layers around the face, muting the body of hair on the sides.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 22 Aug. 2025
Gas prices likely fell in July and grocery costs are expected to barely increase, muting overall inflation.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muting
Verb
-
Top sleep aid for kids This extremely popular sound machine uses an authentic human voice to calm babies to sleep with a calming, shushing sound.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Kempe then put a gloved finger to his lips, shushing the sixth consecutive sellout crowd in Anaheim.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Kubiak found that easy to navigate with a conservative game plan in the season finale at the 49ers with a rushing attack that had 39 attempts for 180 yards while the Seahawks’ defense was muffling the opposition.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
14 Jan. 2026
-
The active noise cancellation actually blocks sounds, instead of offering that fake muffling nonsense.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
22 Nov. 2025
Verb
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But freedom of expression is a constant pursuit, as natural as breathing, and silencing it is an imperfect practice that exhausts the oppressor and energizes the oppressed.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
28 Jan. 2026
-
On Sunday, Alnylam, the gene-silencing company that notched one gigantic accomplishment after another over the past five years, set out a plan for the next five years built on yet more innovation and growth.—
Matthew Herper,
STAT,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Ball made eight of his nine 3-pointers after halftime, gleefully celebrating each one while quieting the crowd in his hometown.—
Janis Carr,
Oc Register,
16 Jan. 2026
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The books also model subtler tactics for quieting the fawner’s social impulses.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
There are a lot of ways to declutter out there—the pile method and the discernment method are two of them, and now, everyone’s hushing their house.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
28 Dec. 2025
-
Unfortunately, the austerity and elegance of the downstairs dining room acts as a dampener, hushing the salad’s brashness and sapping much of the fun.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
14 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Muting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muting. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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