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

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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
The input sources aren't grouped together, the volume and mute buttons aren't near one another, and the up and down inputs of the control wheel don't do anything. PC Magazine, 4 June 2025 In time, a healthier Dodgers pitching staff could render such mistakes mute. Los Angeles Times, 6 July 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
Eddington captures what happens when a community can’t log off: people becoming stupefied by the illusion of connection, and muting logic in the process. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 18 July 2025 The effects of tariffs on inflation so far have been fairly muted, NPR's Scott Horsley tells Up First. Brittney Melton, NPR, 16 July 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
  • Our tester noted that the sleep mode is almost completely silent, which is useful if your kid or their roommate is a light sleeper.
    Cheryl Fenton, Parents, 19 July 2025
  • The rest of the Royals’ lineup remained silent as the Marlins earned a series victory with a 3-1 win at LoanDepot Park.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 19 July 2025
Verb
  • And as long as the law remains on the books, the threat of enforcement will continue to hang over pastors and churches like a sword, silencing some through fear and confusion.
    Lauren Cooley, Sun Sentinel, 21 July 2025
  • Still, many progressives, including some political leaders, saw a nefarious motive and a brazen attempt to silence an outspoken liberal voice.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 21 July 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
  • Flavonoids, an antioxidant found in oranges and other plants, may contribute to orange juice's muted effect on blood sugar.
    Sarah Bence, Verywell Health, 22 July 2025
  • Wall Street is tracking for a muted open after the S & P 500 and tech-heavy Nasdaq ended yesterday's session at another record close.
    Jim Cramer, CNBC, 22 July 2025
Noun
  • Getty Images The one-two punch of strong earnings and tame inflation helped propel the S&P 500 to a positive week — despite the latest tariff news on Friday putting a slight damper on the action.
    Zev Fima, CNBC, 19 July 2025
  • The result is that prices have started to drop across much of the state, as historically high mortgage rates are still putting a significant damper on demand, despite growing inventory giving buyers more options.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 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
  • The monument’s presence seems to quiet all the urban noise.
    Brian T. Allen, National Review, 19 July 2025
  • Offerings range from massages and facials to sound meditation, a restorative practice that uses harmonic frequencies to quiet the mind and support nervous system regulation.
    Paula Conway, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Mute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mute. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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