muffle

verb

muf·​fle ˈmə-fəl 

muffled; muffling ˈmə-f(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to wrap up so as to conceal or protect : envelop

2

obsolete : blindfold

3

a

: to wrap or pad with something to dull the sound

muffle the oarlocks

b

: to deaden the sound of

4

: keep down, suppress

muffled her anger

Synonyms

• mute
• stifle

Examples of muffle in a Sentence

They tried to muffle the noise.

I could hear their muffled voices from the next room.

Recent Examples on the Web

Owners can do a number of things to relieve this type of anxiety in dogs, such as leaving a long-lasting chew toy with them when leaving and keeping the radio on to muffle outside noises. —Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024

Each earbud also includes a pair of microphones and Nothing’s latest noise-canceling technology (Clear Voice Technology 3.0) to help stop outside noises from muffling your voice during a call. —Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 24 Sep. 2024

But that fun interplay is weaponized later, when Rona’s demons come rushing at her in a way no headphones can muffle. —Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2024

In testing, Dyson's noise cancellation effectively muffled out most distracting sounds, including street noise, the rumble of subway trains, and music in a coffee shop. —PCMAG, 12 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English muflen

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

muffle

verb

muf·​fle ˈməf-əl 

muffled; muffling ˈməf-(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to wrap up so as to conceal or protect

2

: to deaden the sound of

muffle a cry