Muted — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ˈmyü-təd/ mut·ed

Meaning & Definition of Muted

Muted (adjective)

  1. being mute, silent
  2. toned down, low-key, subdued
  3. provided with or produced or modified by the use of a mute

Muted (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. mostly or entirely without sound

    "the muted cry of a frightened witness to a murder"

    similar: hushed, noiseless, quiet, quieted, silent, soundless, still, stilly
    related: calm, peaceable, peaceful, serene, tranquil
    opposite: noisy, rackety, unquiet, uproarious
    near: boisterous, clamorous, clangorous, clattering, clattery, raucous, rip-roaring, roaring, roistering, tumultuous

  2. not excessively showy

    "painted with muted colors"

    similar: conservative, low-key, quiet, repressed, restrained, sober, subdued, toned-down, understated, unflashy, unpretentious
    related: appropriate, becoming, fit, fitting, proper, suitable, modest, plain, simple, unadorned, undecorated, inconspicuous, unnoticeable, unobtrusive, graceful, handsome, refined, tasteful, drab, mousy, practical, sensible
    opposite: flamboyant, flaring, flashy, garish, gaudy, glitzy, loud, noisy, ostentatious, razzle-dazzle, splashy, swank
    near: meretricious, graceless, inelegant, tacky, tasteless, tawdry, trashy, vulgar, baroque, fancy, frilly, gilded, ornate, rococo, overdecorated, overdone, overwrought

  3. deliberately refraining from speech

    "she was unexpectedly muted in the presence of her literary idol"

    similar: mum, mute, silent, speechless, uncommunicative, wordless
    related: inarticulate, tongue-tied, nonvocal, voiceless, dumbstruck, sulking, sulky, sullen
    opposite: communicative, speaking, talking
    near: articulate, eloquent, fluent, voluble, well-spoken, gabby, garrulous, loquacious, talkative, talky, outspoken, unreserved, vocal, facile, glib, silver-tongued, smooth-tongued

Muted (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to stop the noise or speech of

    "muted the television while she was on the phone"

    similar: dumbed, extinguished, hushed, quelled, quieted, quietened (chiefly British), settled, shushed, shut up, silenced, squelched, stilled
    near: agitated, stirred

  2. to deaden the sound of

    "closing the windows muted the traffic noise so we could get to sleep"

    similar: muffled, stifled
    related: insulated, soundproofed, padded, dampened, mellowed, softened, subdued, toned (down), baffled, smothered
    opposite: unmuffled
    near: amplified, boosted, deepened, enhanced, heightened, increased, magnified, stepped up, strengthened

Related Entry: Mute (verb)

Mute is a different word from Muted. The synonyms below are for mute, not for muted.

  1. to stop the noise or speech of

    "muted the television while she was on the phone"

    similar: dumb, extinguish, hush, quell, quiet, quieten (chiefly British), settle, shush, shut up, silence, squelch, still
    near: agitate, stir

  2. to deaden the sound of

    "closing the windows muted the traffic noise so we could get to sleep"

    similar: muffle, stifle
    related: insulate, soundproof, pad, dampen, mellow, soften, subdue, tone (down), baffle, smother
    opposite: unmuffle
    near: amplify, boost, deepen, enhance, heighten, increase, magnify, step up, strengthen

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Muted

The most common words with a similar meaning to Muted:

Chiefly British: quietened
hushed, noiseless, quiet, quieted, silent, soundless, still, stilly, conservative, low-key, repressed, restrained, sober, subdued, toned-down, understated, unflashy, unpretentious, mum, mute, speechless, uncommunicative, wordless, dumbed, extinguished, quelled, settled, shushed, shut up, silenced, squelched, stilled, muffled, stifled

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Muted

Words with the opposite meaning of Muted:

noisy, rackety, unquiet, uproarious, flamboyant, flaring, flashy, garish, gaudy, glitzy, loud, ostentatious, razzle-dazzle, splashy, swank, communicative, speaking, talking, unmuffled

Related Words for Muted

calm, peaceable, peaceful, serene, tranquil, appropriate, becoming, fit, fitting, proper, suitable, modest, plain, simple, unadorned, undecorated, inconspicuous, unnoticeable, unobtrusive, graceful, handsome, refined, tasteful, drab, mousy, practical, sensible, inarticulate, tongue-tied, nonvocal

Near Antonyms of Muted

boisterous, clamorous, clangorous, clattering, clattery, raucous, rip-roaring, roaring, roistering, tumultuous, meretricious, graceless, inelegant, tacky, tasteless, tawdry, trashy, vulgar, baroque, fancy, frilly, gilded, ornate, rococo, overdecorated, overdone, overwrought, articulate, eloquent, fluent

Word Forms of Muted

Derived words: mutedly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Muted

First known use: 1855

Frequently Asked Questions about Muted

What does "Muted" mean?

"Muted" means being mute, silent. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: being mute, silent. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Muted"?

Other words for "Muted" include hushed, noiseless, quiet, quieted, silent, soundless, still and stilly. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Muted" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Muted"?

There are 79 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Muted". Common alternatives include hushed, noiseless, quiet, quieted, silent, soundless, still, stilly, conservative and low-key.

What is the opposite of "Muted"?

Antonyms of "Muted" include noisy, rackety, unquiet, uproarious, flamboyant, flaring, flashy and garish. Near antonyms include boisterous, clamorous, clangorous and clattering.

How do you use "Muted" in a sentence?

Examples of "Muted" in a sentence: "the muted cry of a frightened witness to a murder"; "painted with muted colors"; "she was unexpectedly muted in the presence of her literary idol".

Is "Muted" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Muted" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Muted"?

"Muted" is pronounced /ˈmyü-təd/ and divided into syllables as mut·ed.

What is the origin of the word "Muted"?

First known use: 1855.