muffles

verb

present tense third-person singular of muffle
1
as in mutes
to deaden the sound of the walls muffled their conversation so that only a low murmur was heard

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wraps
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 muffles Although the snow sometimes muffles the thunder, the lightning can be seen, said meteorologist Grant Gilmore, formerly of WFMY-TV in Greensboro, North Carolina. — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 25 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muffles
  1. mutes
  2. wraps
  3. stifles
  4. envelops
  5. shrouds
  6. encloses
  7. encases
  8. encompasses
Verb
  • One press on the stem plays/pauses media or answers/mutes a call.
    — Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The boom automatically mutes the microphone when lifted and can answer incoming calls simply by being lowered.
    — Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
Definition of mutes
Verb
  • Once the panel wraps, Kramer will receive TIFF’s Global Cinema Leadership Special Award.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Inside, the line wraps around the room, and cups everywhere are filled with fluffy mounds of Greek yogurt crowned with fresh fruit, nuts, dark chocolate cacao nibs and other ingredients.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of wraps
Verb
  • Perhaps her biggest challenge is combating the misconception that cystic fibrosis has been cured, which stifles investment into new treatments.
    — Gerry Smith, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Opponents argue the proposal weakens environmental protections, stifles community input and could fast-track projects like data centers and freeways.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of stifles
Verb
  • The hotel’s unprecedented vantage point envelops guests in panoramic views of Melbourne and the ocean lapping at Port Phillip Bay.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • His talent has nothing to do with his genes, and yet his reverence for his parents, Philip and Mimi, envelops him in soulful humility.
    — Olivia Wilde, Time, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of envelops
Verb
  • Across Indonesia, seasonal forest fires are beginning to subside, but thick haze still shrouds parts of the island of Kalimantan.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Officials recommended Friday that Marylanders, especially those with underlying medical conditions, stay indoors as the smoke shrouds the state.
    — Nicole Pilsbury, Baltimore Sun, 17 July 2026
Definition of shrouds
Verb
  • The larger ring also improves sensitivity because optical gyroscopes can detect smaller rotations when the light encloses a greater area.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 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 encloses
Verb
  • The plastic that encases laundry pods dissolves and rinses out with the excess water.
    — Katelyn Chef, Southern Living, 18 June 2026
  • The faux hair encases her locs, allowing the blonde to be the focal point of the look.
    — Larry Stansbury, InStyle, 25 May 2026
Definition of encases
Verb
  • Instead, Hugo says the case encompasses a much broader body of work stemming from compositions the two created during nearly 50 studio sessions between 2019 and 2021.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Los Angeles–area cultural institution the Huntington, which encompasses an art museum, library, and botanical garden, has announced this year’s gifts to its art collection from the Huntington’s Art Collectors’ Council.
    — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of encompasses

Browse Nearby Words

mufflers
muffles
muffling
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All