mute
- 01 B1 Intermediate
v.to turn off the sound on a device like a phone, TV, or computer.
v.to temporarily suppress the audio output of an electronic device or application.
Simple“I had to mute the television while I took the important phone call.”
In context“Please mute your microphone during the presentation to prevent background noise from distracting the other participants.”
SynonymsAntonymsunmute - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to stop seeing posts from a specific person on social media without unfriending them.
v.to filter out or hide content from a specific user or containing specific keywords on a digital platform.
Simple“She decided to mute her cousin's posts for a while because they were too political.”
In context“The platform allows users to mute specific hashtags to avoid seeing spoilers for the new movie before they have a chance to watch it.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to make a sound quieter or a colour less bright.
v.to deaden or muffle the sound of something; figuratively, to reduce the intensity of a colour or emotion.
Simple“The thick curtains helped to mute the noise from the busy street outside.”
In context“The designer chose to mute the vibrant wall colours with grey furniture to create a more professional atmosphere in the office.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.not speaking, or not able to speak.
adj.refraining from speech or lacking the physiological faculty of speech.
Simple“The children sat in mute amazement as the magician performed his final trick.”
In context“He stood in mute protest against the decision, refusing to utter a single word of compliance to the board.”
UsageWhen referring to people with disabilities, 'mute' is often considered dated or offensive; 'non-verbal' is usually preferred.
Teacher's tipIn modern contexts, using 'mute' to describe a person who cannot speak is often seen as insensitive. Advise students to use 'non-verbal' or 'speech-impaired' instead.
Synonyms - 05 C1 Advanced
n.a small device put on a musical instrument to make it quieter or change its sound.
n.a device fitted to a musical instrument to alter its timbre or reduce its volume.
Simple“The trumpet player used a mute to create a soft, jazzy sound during the ballad.”
In context“The score specifically required the brass section to apply mutes for the duration of the second movement to achieve a haunting, distant effect.”
Synonymssordinedamper
From Middle English muet, from Anglo-Norman muet, moet, Middle French muet, from mu (“dumb, mute”) + -et, remodelled after Latin mūtus.
From Middle French muetir, probably a shortened form of esmeutir, ultimately from Proto-Germanic.
From Latin mutare (“to change”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.