mute

1 of 4

adjective

muter; mutest
1
: unable to speak : lacking the power of speech
2
: characterized by absence of speech: such as
a
: felt or experienced but not expressed
touched her hand in mute sympathy
her mute hostility
b
: refusing to plead directly or stand trial
the prisoner stands mute
3
: remaining silent, undiscovered, or unrecognized
The hounds generally hunt mute, so they can get close to the game.
4
a
: contributing nothing to the pronunciation of a word
the b in plumb is mute
b
: contributing to the pronunciation of a word but not representing the nucleus of a syllable
the e in mate is mute
mutely adverb
muteness noun

mute

2 of 4

noun

plural mutes
1
: a device attached to or inserted into a musical instrument to soften or alter its tone
2
3
dated, offensive : a person who lacks the ability to speak

mute

3 of 4

verb (1)

muted; muting

transitive verb

1
: to muffle, reduce, or eliminate the sound of
2
: to tone down : soften, subdue
mute a color

mute

4 of 4

verb (2)

muted; muting

intransitive verb

of a bird
: to evacuate the cloaca

Examples of mute in a Sentence

Adjective They hugged each other in mute sympathy. I could see a mute plea for help in his eyes. Noun I was practicing my trumpet at three in the morning when the mute fell out, and I managed to wake everyone up. Verb (1) muted the television while she was on the phone closing the windows muted the traffic noise so we could get to sleep
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
However, give yourself permission to mute group chats with friends if the conversation or information shared feels overwhelming. Allie Volpe, Vox, 11 Nov. 2024 Please check back again soon for the recorded video. LIVE VIDEO TO BEGIN AFTER AD Loaded: 0% Progress: 0% Use up and down arrows to change volume, and spacebar or enter to toggle mute. Will Knight, WIRED, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
After accidentally starting a wildfire, 7-year-old Lu, mute and from an abusive home, slyly tricks Merribelle, a hardworking trans woman, into kidnapping her — sparking a beautifully unexpected bond with a devastating expiration date. Vulture, 12 Dec. 2022 After accidentally starting a wildfire, 7-year-old Lu, mute and from an abusive home, slyly tricks Merribelle, a hardworking trans woman, into kidnapping her – sparking a beautifully unexpected bond with a devastating expiration date. Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Dec. 2022
Verb
Green Book premieres at the same festival, but its message about looking past each other’s differences feels less pressing in a world where Donald Trump has not just nominated Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, and response to the interracial buddy dramedy is muted. Nate Jones, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2024 Grand Prismatic Spring, the third largest hot spring in the world and one of Yellowstone's top attractions, looked particularly magical as the overcast skies muted its rainbow colors and heavy steam shrouded the site. Amanda Lee Myers, USA TODAY, 19 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for mute 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective, Noun, and Verb (1)

Middle English muet, mut, from Anglo-French, from mu, mute, from Latin mutus, probably from mu, representation of a muttered sound

Verb (2)

Middle English, from Anglo-French *meutir, short for ameutir, alteration of Old French esmeltir, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch smelten to melt, make fluid, defecate (of birds)

First Known Use

Adjective

1513, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb (1)

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mute was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near mute

Cite this Entry

“Mute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mute. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

mute

1 of 3 adjective
muter; mutest
1
: unable to speak
2
: felt but not expressed in words
mute sympathy
3
: not pronounced : silent
the mute "b" in "thumb"
mutely adverb
muteness noun

mute

2 of 3 noun
1
offensive : a person who cannot or does not speak
used especially in the past
2
: a device attached to or inserted into a musical instrument to reduce, soften, or muffle its tone
3

mute

3 of 3 verb
muted; muting
1
: to muffle or reduce the sound of
2
: to tone down
muted his criticism

Medical Definition

mute

1 of 2 adjective
muter; mutest
: unable to speak : lacking the power of speech
muteness noun

mute

2 of 2 noun
dated, offensive : a person who lacks the ability to speak

More from Merriam-Webster on mute

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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