1
as in speechless
unable to speak
the child is both deaf and mute because her hearing was lost at birth
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of mute
Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025
There, Gretchen meets a strange doctor, Herr König (Dan Stevens, sick and slick), with an interest in birds but also in Gretchen’s mute younger half sister, Alma (Mila Lieu).
—Erik Piepenburg, New York Times, 3 Jan. 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
Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 20 Jan. 2025
Instead, the older toggle switch to mute the iPhone is returning.
—Ewan Spence, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for mute 
Adjective
According to game director Hugo Martin, this will be a less jumpy, athletic outing for the famously mute protagonist than 2020’s Doom: Eternal.
—Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025
There, Gretchen meets a strange doctor, Herr König (Dan Stevens, sick and slick), with an interest in birds but also in Gretchen’s mute younger half sister, Alma (Mila Lieu).
—Erik Piepenburg, New York Times, 3 Jan. 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
That said, apart from anticipation of Trump sitting in the Oval Office, muted back-to-back inflation readings for December also buoyed animal spirits in the markets: All sectors of the market ended the week in the green.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 20 Jan. 2025
Instead, the older toggle switch to mute the iPhone is returning.
—Ewan Spence, Forbes, 16 Jan. 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
-
The skies in Gaza went silent for the first time in months with no Israeli airstrikes.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
20 Jan. 2025
-
In the Broadway musical Sunset Boulevard silent screen star Norma Desmond returns to the Paramount lot after twenty years living under the radar in her crumbling mansion.—
Jeryl Brunner,
Forbes,
20 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
The Times can file a motion to strike under the California anti-SLAPP statute, arguing that Baldoni is trying to silence speech protected by the First Amendment.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
24 Jan. 2025
-
People who thought differently were not attacked, they were valued, and no one tried to silence anyone.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
However, while the snow sometimes muffles the thunder, the lightning can more easily be seen.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA TODAY,
7 Jan. 2025
-
His low desk was shoved into the corner furthest from the windows, as if Gussow had wanted to muffle the city’s distractions.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
27 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Polestar says the performance pack has been popular with early customers, and while those with their own tools can adjust the dampers at home, a visit to the service centre is recommended.—
Alistair Charlton,
Forbes,
17 Jan. 2025
-
That could effectively serve as a damper pedal on baseball's already notoriously slow-developing free-agent market.—
Jon Paul Hoornstra,
Newsweek,
25 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
In a sweet video shared on Instagram, the family could be seen hunkering down on a sectional couch, shushing each other and staring intently at their television screen as Kerry Washington and Andrew Garfield announced the nominees.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
6 Jan. 2025
-
The players did a lap of honour, with Bellingham celebrating with his team’s supporters and shushing the Barca fans.—
Mario Cortegana,
The Athletic,
21 Apr. 2024
Verb
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His ability to quiet his gaming critics has so far proven much less successful than his ability to influence U.S. national politics.—
Ethan Gach / Kotaku,
Quartz,
21 Jan. 2025
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The attempt to quiet the noise went viral, receiving 3.1 million views (as of this writing).—
Chris Westfall,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
In order to save time, space, or money, audio companies will often take the design of a larger, more expensive device and dumb it down slightly to make a product that's more accessible, and probably better for most of us.—
Parker Hall,
WIRED,
6 May 2021
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To dumb it down, think about how action figures of the past had limited points of articulation.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
11 Sep. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near mute
Cite this Entry
“Mute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mute. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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