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
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
Larry Magid, Mercury News, 1 May 2025
Laura, who lost her daughter Cathy months prior, is already looking after a young foster child named Ollie (Jonah Wren Phillips), a strange, selectively mute boy who has an insatiable appetite and a blood feud with the family cat.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 16 May 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
Robert O. Keohane, Foreign Affairs, 2 June 2025
The irony is that the night kicked off with Achraf Hakimi tapping home the opener but largely muting his celebrations against his former club.
—Caoimhe O'Neill, New York Times, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for mute
Adjective
There is a volume button, but unfortunately, no mute button.
—Larry Magid, Mercury News, 1 May 2025
Laura, who lost her daughter Cathy months prior, is already looking after a young foster child named Ollie (Jonah Wren Phillips), a strange, selectively mute boy who has an insatiable appetite and a blood feud with the family cat.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 16 May 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
Silencing the Voice of America mutes the country’s message.
—Robert O. Keohane, Foreign Affairs, 2 June 2025
The irony is that the night kicked off with Achraf Hakimi tapping home the opener but largely muting his celebrations against his former club.
—Caoimhe O'Neill, New York Times, 1 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
-
While the Trump administration was silent on the details of the document, a New York Times report described it as merely a list of bullet points, not a full draft, citing four officials familiar with the negotiations.—
Zach LaChance,
The Washington Examiner,
1 June 2025
-
Proenza Schouler leans toward a silent gesture with its mint green terry dress.—
Alex Sales,
Glamour,
31 May 2025
Verb
-
The majority on the Commissioners Court shouldn’t seek to silence minority voices through a violation of the Voting Rights Act, the letters said.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 June 2025
-
To let rhythm carry meaning, to listen closely to silence.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
2 June 2025
Verb
-
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
-
Congressional push-back is inevitable, but the promise of tens of thousands of U.S. jobs can muffle many speeches.—
Guney Yildiz,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
Noun
-
Here, active anti-roll bars and GM’s Magnetic Ride Control shock dampers kept the Celestiq’s weight in check, as the chassis remained planted and stable despite me pushing to the edge of traction through hard corners and long sweepers alike.—
Michael Teo Van Runkle,
Forbes.com,
6 May 2025
-
There’s a single foot pedal, which controls two damper bars.—
Jane Bua,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
Verb
-
But, when Lydia attempts to explain herself, Tina shushes her.—
Joey Nolfi Published,
EW.com,
4 June 2025
-
The host had to shush the boisterous crowd more than once to focus their attention on the items for sale.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
23 May 2025
Verb
-
The topic of who should be able to play whom has quieted now that the industry has faced all sorts of existential threats the last five years.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2025
-
But the 4-2 home victory over CF Montreal Wednesday night was exactly what Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates needed to get out of an eight-game funk and, at least temporarily, quiet the critics.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2025
Verb
-
Where conspiracies dumb us down to eventually believe that nothing is actually true?—
S.E. Cupp,
New York Daily News,
4 Feb. 2025
-
To dumb it down, think about how action figures of the past had limited points of articulation.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
11 Sep. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Mute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mute. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share