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
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Recent Examples of mute
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026
The film opens in silence, with Hamlet going straight from observing his father’s dead body to discovering that Claudius has decided to marry his mother (Sheeba Chaddha), and the actor’s mute bewilderment has genuine shock and power.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 Apr. 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
Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 26 Apr. 2026
Yet enthusiasm among young voters is muted, the poll found.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mute
Adjective
In it, a local TV meteorologist played by Emily Blunt goes mute mid-broadcast and comes out instead with a series of unintelligible noises that rivet viewers.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026
The film opens in silence, with Hamlet going straight from observing his father’s dead body to discovering that Claudius has decided to marry his mother (Sheeba Chaddha), and the actor’s mute bewilderment has genuine shock and power.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 Apr. 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
Sherwin-William's Smoky Blue In 2026, designers are loving muted, moody blue paint colors.
—Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 26 Apr. 2026
Yet enthusiasm among young voters is muted, the poll found.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
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
-
What do the Gen Z pout, influencer accent, silent scream say about young people?—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Republican leaders may have initially felt blindsided by the conflict, but most quickly either bent the knee or remained silent.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Kapanen silenced the raucous sellout crowd at Honda Center 38 seconds after the opening faceoff with his fourth goal in four games.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The country was once very free online, remarkable given President Vladimir Putin’s autocratic rule, but more recently access to global messaging apps has been restricted and the internet has been completely shut down at times as Moscow has sought to silence criticism.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Soundcore Outdoor Speaker Deal The Soundcore Boom 2 is the ultimate vibe enforcer for those who refuse to let the outdoors muffle their soundtrack.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
21 Apr. 2026
-
He’s perched on the second floor above the courtyard, a few bustling parties muffled in the background.—
Nicole Letts,
Southern Living,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Its pretty plaid is in muted tones on good-quality, abrasion-resistant material, with a minimalist shape that anchors a room.—
Gretta Monahan,
Boston Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
-
In their own muted ways, her colleagues agreed.—
Mark Dee
April 28,
Idaho Statesman,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Summer travel is heating up, but rising fuel prices threaten to put a damper on warm weather getaways.—
Alison Fox,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Rain, and even snow (or just freezing temperatures), are not out of the question and could quickly put a damper on the hopes of a record-breaking performance.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
To the point where Reid shushed him down at times.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Lyonne shushed the staffer, got up and headed to the bathroom, according to Page Six.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Since taking office, the mayor has mostly quieted his calls for a rent freeze, as many in the real estate industry have accused him of improperly seeking to influence the independent panel.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The Lightning were the only ones to take advantage of all the power plays, with Point scoring his first of the series to tie the game 1-1 in the first period and quiet the raucous Bell Centre crowd, at least temporarily, allowing Tampa Bay to settle into the game.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mute. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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