muffled 1 of 2

adjective

as in muted

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muffled

2 of 2

verb

past tense of muffle
1
as in stifled
to deaden the sound of the walls muffled their conversation so that only a low murmur was heard

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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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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 muffled
Adjective
Next, save 33% on the Amazon Fire TV soundbar to boost your living room audio and end muffled dialogue. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026 The screaming sounded like a young girl, but the voice was muffled and hard to hear above the rushing river. — Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026 His work ranged from the muffled light and shadow of his early landscapes to the snappy glamour of his fashion photography and celebrity portraits (Greta Garbo, Charlie Chaplin, Anna May Wong). — Susan Tallman, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2026 There are certain sound FX still giving you feedback, but muffled shootouts are refreshingly scary. — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 4 Sep. 2026 Like all my feelings are muffled music playing underwater, not erased, but quieter, harder to reach. — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026 The bear had sought refuge in it, and as the houndsman and his friends pulled up in sight of it, the muffled squeals of the dogs, which had instantly followed the bear in, told the men that the pack was getting smaller every minute. — Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026 The video’s moodiness subtly underscores the fact that the lion’s share of these tracks are built on one muffled breakbeat, which tolls like clockwork across the LP. — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 23 July 2026 Barreto’s muffled voice is heard responding. — Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 28 June 2026
Verb
The generational distance that has muffled the pain of 2001 is also seen in California’s varied educational approach. — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026 Things between David and the other characters are awkward and muffled rather than climactic. — Emma Alpern, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026 Now the sound was muffled from the hunters as the dogs passed around a canebrake wall bordered by a dark bayou. — Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026 Educational lectures at the aquarium and the sounds of traffic on the street both came through clearly, not remotely muffled. — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 30 July 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muffled
  1. muted
  2. stifled
  3. wrapped
  4. softened
  5. shrouded
  6. hushed
  7. enveloped
  8. enclosed
Adjective
  • The characters wear muted, sweeping gowns, their hair often loose.
    — Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Stock futures are mixed this morning after the S&P 500 kicked off the week with a muted session.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of muted
Verb
  • With good pitching come easier games, better matchups, and stifled hitters.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • How often are the voices of people coming home from prison stifled?
    — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of stifled
Verb
  • On a late September afternoon, Mariposa Park Apartments in west Fort Worth was quiet, yet the blue tarp, failing roof and wire fence wrapped around the complex about the aftermath of a fire that tore it apart a month ago.
    — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Cambria Wells, the center’s education and outreach manager, recalls a hummingbird that was similarly wrapped in webbing and didn’t make it.
    — Katie Koschalk, Scientific American, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of wrapped
Adjective
  • Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 15 minutes.
    — Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The market has rejected CBS’s softened stance towards this administration.
    — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of softened
Verb
  • Because their earliest years are spent shrouded in clouds of dust, these nascent stars can be hard to spot.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The stables, or caballeriza, meanwhile, are a more modern, minimalist affair than the main house, with a handful of private gardens shrouded behind fresh, fledgling hedgerows and gray subway-style bathroom tiles.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of shrouded
Adjective
  • Set the scene Despite being just a stone’s throw from Oxford Street, the hotel has a hushed air and a seriously exclusive crowd.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • In other words, get ready to read a lot and yet, surprisingly, to enjoy the immersion, as one might the hushed thrill of a surveillance sequence.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of hushed
Verb
  • Take Sophie Rowell, founder of Côte de Folk, who, in one project, recently enveloped walls and floors in a deep olive green, adding a sense of tactility by forgoing hard flooring and rugs in favor of wall-to-wall carpet.
    — Hannah Coates, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Umanmielen kept pushing Sewell backward and then, finally, enveloped Goff in his arms for his third sack of the season.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of enveloped
Verb
  • The self-rinsing jet remains enclosed when not in use, so there’s less worry about the spread of bacteria.
    — Eliza Thompson, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The back frizz is more confined, enclosed in the semi-neat bun.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of enclosed

Browse Nearby Words

muffle
muffled
muffler
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Cite this Entry

“Muffled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muffled. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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