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
Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 6 Nov. 2024
As Eli tries to help the seemingly mute child, their bond deepens, and a haunting connection to the past begins to present itself.
—Simon Thompson, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024
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
Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 13 Dec. 2024
The first episode of NBC’s Saturday Night aired live from New York on October 11, 1975, and looked like literal trash — gray, brown, muted, somehow both dusty and wet, with sets that appeared to have been left on the sidewalk for a few days.
—David Lachapelle, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for mute 
Adjective
Hooray and hallelujah, the mute button on my TV remote lasted through the campaign.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 6 Nov. 2024
As Eli tries to help the seemingly mute child, their bond deepens, and a haunting connection to the past begins to present itself.
—Simon Thompson, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024
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
But wanting to go further inside Elphaba’s head, the editor muted the sound for a moment.
—Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 13 Dec. 2024
The first episode of NBC’s Saturday Night aired live from New York on October 11, 1975, and looked like literal trash — gray, brown, muted, somehow both dusty and wet, with sets that appeared to have been left on the sidewalk for a few days.
—David Lachapelle, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for mute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mute
Adjective
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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
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Because his work, as is often the case, leaves us almost speechless.Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Jan. 2023
Adjective
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That alone makes the film a necessary watch for even those having a passing interest in dance, silent cinema, la Belle époque, lighting design, modern fashion and perhaps everything in between.Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 20 Dec. 2024
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Those people did not tell the detectives, choosing instead to stay silent.Keith Sharon, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Making space for safe exchange, discussion, free expression of thought is what is humane and should always be encouraged, not silenced.George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 24 Dec. 2024
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In the end, Houlihan helps silence Ian and protect the sisters.Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
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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
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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
Noun
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Somehow, the firmer springs pair with the shock dampers to glue the car to the ground, providing a more stable platform that absorbs reverberations even better than the supposedly more comfortable Tour.Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
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The Competition Package returned, leaving power the same as stock but enhancing handling through sharper dampers, a lower height, and a less-restrictive stability control system.Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 3 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Back then, Mason was the kind of person who got excited about camera placement on a mountain to capture just the right shot as a downhill ski racer shushed past.Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2024
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Other players use this tactic too, including Djokovic’s friend Nick Kyrgios (on many occasions), Sebastian Korda at this year’s Italian Open in Rome, and Taylor Fritz, who shushed an entire stadium after beating Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech at Roland Garros in 2023.Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 13 July 2024
Verb
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The Longhorns kept Clemson’s running game quiet aside from one 41-yard run by receiver Adam Randall.Sam Khan Jr., The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024
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Research suggests that a diverse array of spices can quiet the signals that tell cells to pump out inflammatory chemicals.Erica Sloan, SELF, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
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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 Dec. 2024.
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