muffle

verb

ˈmə-fəl How to pronounce muffle (audio)
Definition of mufflenext
1
as in to mute
to deaden the sound of the walls muffled their conversation so that only a low murmur was heard

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to wrap
to surround or cover closely the airport had been muffled in fog all morning long

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of muffle But the lack of competitive consequences for floundering clubs does very little to muffle those pushing for pro/rel. — Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026 As a further precaution, consider adding background noise, like the TV or a white noise machine, to help muffle the sounds. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 3 July 2026 Missing crucial orders because a voice is muffled, or struggling to pull out an emergency fire shelter because a mask is in the way, could be the difference between life and death. — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026 Patmos would divide the open warehouse space into smaller rooms, add pipes and support infrastructure and install sound-muffling materials. — Ilana Arougheti june 26, Kansas City Star, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for muffle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muffle
  1. mute
  2. wrap
  3. stifle
  4. envelop
  5. enclose
  6. shroud
  7. encase
  8. encompass
Verb
  • Other signs of a tough job market Employer hiring has been muted since 2024, according to federal data.
    — Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026
  • When the United States and Israel fired their opening salvos against Iran in February, starting a war whose ripple effects would be felt across the globe for months to come, the reactions from Russia and China were relatively muted.
    — Ariane Tabatabai, Time, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of mute
Verb
  • The chain replaced its soft bun with a more sturdier version, changed the recipe for its mayonnaise and now serves it in a box instead of wrapped in paper.
    — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Docker moved in a different direction with its MCP Catalog and Toolkit, containerizing servers and wrapping them in secret management, policy enforcement and audit logging.
    — Janakiram MSV, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of wrap
Verb
  • Hierarchies, marked by upward reporting and limited horizontal interaction, often stifle innovation and prioritize control for short-term profit.
    — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Many of those who died were elderly, often alone, in a stifling house or apartment.
    — Scott Simon, NPR, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of stifle
Verb
  • On an 1888 rolling historic Victorian estate just off the bustling South Congress Avenue, Hotel Saint Cecilia offers a lavish collection of 20 bungalows, suites, and studios enveloped in a lush canopy of trees.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2026
  • That trough disrupted the high pressure bubble near the Great Basin that was responsible for a West Coast heat wave that finally enveloped the Bay Area last week.
    — Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of envelop
Verb
  • The dinner was also enclosed in a fabric structure that allowed the couple to project visuals from their relationship throughout the space.
    — Shelby Wax, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The building encloses an acre of private landscaped courtyard, which the apartment’s airy living area overlooks.
    — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of enclose
Verb
  • Data center projects have been shrouded in secrecy and marked by breathtaking indifference to residents’ concerns.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The unsealed indictment reveals few new details in a case that has been shrouded in secrecy.
    — Andrew Dalton, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of shroud
Verb
  • More packaging also is needed to encase light-sensitive products like paint.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • To ensure the integrity of the mold, only high-quality clay is used and then encased in steel sleeves designed to withstand extreme pressure.
    — Philipp Jenne, Fortune, 30 July 2026
Definition of encase
Verb
  • The Bhagat Singh project joins a Historyverse slate that already encompasses titles drawn from Indian mythology and history, including projects centered on Shivaji and Swami Samarth.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Just north of the city is the massive Montesinho Natural Park, one of Portugal’s largest, encompassing two mountains.
    — Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of encompass

Browse Nearby Words

muffing
muffle
muffled
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Cite this Entry

“Muffle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muffle. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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