as in muted
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1
as in stifled
to deaden the sound of
the walls muffled their conversation so that only a low murmur was heard
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wrapped
to surround or cover closely
the airport had been muffled in fog all morning long
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of muffled
Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2026
But a patient pugilist values the muffled thud of shots to the resolve.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 5 May 2026
Those inside the nearby ballroom could hear muffled pops.
—Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 27 Apr. 2026
Brian Gibson’s gangrenous bass riffs and gibbering, muffled vocals have even more gonzo energy than usual, while Chippendale mixes bombast and finesse with his customary flair.
—Reed Jackson, SPIN, 24 Apr. 2026
Day was dedicated to the bit, making Hernandez crack with muffled laughter.
—Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026
That quiet was punctuated only by muffled bangs, as Sugar Bowl ski patrollers set off explosives in the peaks above to mitigate the danger of an avalanche inbounds at the resort.
—Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 20 Feb. 2026
My sisters teased me about my muffled giggles under the covers in the middle of the night.
—Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
However, her panicked words are met with muffled sounds and a quick hang-up.
—Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
Olivia Kan-Sperling, Artforum, 2 May 2026
Their replies are muffled by their hands blocking their mouths.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 29 Apr. 2026
He’s perched on the second floor above the courtyard, a few bustling parties muffled in the background.
—Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2026
Other symptoms include ringing, a sensation like something is stuck in the ears or conversations sounding muffled.
—ABC News, 12 Apr. 2026
While Hazel Avenue is a busy street, traffic cannot be heard from inside the house and is muffled in the front yard.
—David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 6 Apr. 2026
The sound of a backstage vocal warmup was muffled by thick stage curtains.
—Melanie Asmar, Denver Post, 20 Mar. 2026
Bunny, wearing a knitted Balaclava and carrying a clip board, called out commands to the chief electrician in a voice muffled with pain.
—Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
Using context-aware algorithms, this technology can, for example, be used to help distinguish between speech and noise, predict and suppress unwanted clamor in real time, and attempt to clean up speech that is muffled or distorted.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Rain hammered Independence Boulevard hard enough to blur the windshield, and the voice taking my order came through muffled and distant, though no more confusing than a late-night order at Cook Out.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2026
But a patient pugilist values the muffled thud of shots to the resolve.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 5 May 2026
Those inside the nearby ballroom could hear muffled pops.
—Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 27 Apr. 2026
Brian Gibson’s gangrenous bass riffs and gibbering, muffled vocals have even more gonzo energy than usual, while Chippendale mixes bombast and finesse with his customary flair.
—Reed Jackson, SPIN, 24 Apr. 2026
Day was dedicated to the bit, making Hernandez crack with muffled laughter.
—Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026
That quiet was punctuated only by muffled bangs, as Sugar Bowl ski patrollers set off explosives in the peaks above to mitigate the danger of an avalanche inbounds at the resort.
—Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 20 Feb. 2026
My sisters teased me about my muffled giggles under the covers in the middle of the night.
—Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
However, her panicked words are met with muffled sounds and a quick hang-up.
—Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
Verb
Everything feels muffled, with such heavy carpeting.
—Olivia Kan-Sperling, Artforum, 2 May 2026
Their replies are muffled by their hands blocking their mouths.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 29 Apr. 2026
He’s perched on the second floor above the courtyard, a few bustling parties muffled in the background.
—Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2026
Other symptoms include ringing, a sensation like something is stuck in the ears or conversations sounding muffled.
—ABC News, 12 Apr. 2026
While Hazel Avenue is a busy street, traffic cannot be heard from inside the house and is muffled in the front yard.
—David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 6 Apr. 2026
The sound of a backstage vocal warmup was muffled by thick stage curtains.
—Melanie Asmar, Denver Post, 20 Mar. 2026
Bunny, wearing a knitted Balaclava and carrying a clip board, called out commands to the chief electrician in a voice muffled with pain.
—Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
Using context-aware algorithms, this technology can, for example, be used to help distinguish between speech and noise, predict and suppress unwanted clamor in real time, and attempt to clean up speech that is muffled or distorted.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muffled
Adjective
-
Here are a few takeaways from the sentencing hearing, including Heuermann’s muted statement, the heartfelt and emotional speeches from victims’ families and the next steps on the road to justice.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
-
Pair it with pale blues and garden greens to double up on muted hues, or embrace the cinnamon hue and layer it with earth tones.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
This poor girl no longer has an identity beyond pleasing her male companion, who becomes both stifled by alarmed by this sudden, non-consensual change in personality.—
Josh Weiss,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
Critics said the two security laws have stifled the city's Western-style civil liberties that Beijing had promised to maintain when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
The visuals of fighters warming up inside the White House and sauntering down the Truman balcony, many wrapped in the American flag, was an unusual spectacle indeed.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
-
The strike had the narrowest room for error, and Nakamura wrapped it around and through the pesky Dutch backline for the first Japanese goal to send their supporters’ section into a frenzy.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
In a mixing bowl, cream the softened butter.—
Kelly Brant,
Arkansas Online,
16 June 2026
-
Yet the softened recommendations for both shots that the administration and Kennedy’s ACIP pushed through since last spring are among the decisions that prompted the recent lawsuit.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
It’s shrouded in vetiver and jasmine, with a drydown of copal, a warm and woody incense.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
12 June 2026
-
But, as Kalshi backers often point out on social media, Adventure One is shrouded in mystery.—
Dan Bernstein,
Sportico.com,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Not a hushed and reverent scene at all, lively and fun.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 June 2026
-
The overall mood remains one of hushed sophistication.—
Carrie Bell,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
These delightfully creamy caramel squares are enveloped in smooth dark chocolate, which provides a perfect juxtaposition to the sweet filling.—
Libby Monteith Minor,
Southern Living,
14 June 2026
-
One half of the pitch was enveloped by a Qatari flag, the other was covered by a red rectangle emblazoned with a white cross.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
From what archaeologists gathered, the Roman villa garden featured a flowerbed enclosed in a courtyard with rows of packed ceramic pots, as per Ancient Origins.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
13 June 2026
-
The West Harbor Wheel's carriages will be fully enclosed, so riders can take in the expansive views through every season.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Muffled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muffled. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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