[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/muffle/)

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# muffle

verb (muffle, muffles, muffled, muffling); noun (a muffle — rare)

«muffle» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To muffle a sound is to make it quieter and less clear, for example by covering it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/muffle/#m1)
2. To muffle someone or something up is to wrap them in warm clothes or cloth. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/muffle/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science lessons on sound, materials like foam, cloth and egg boxes muffle sound by absorbing vibrations. In stories muffled voices come through a wall or muffled footsteps in snow make a scene mysterious. Phrases: «muffled voices», «muffle the sound», «muffled up against the cold».

### Examples

- The thick snow muffled our footsteps. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/muffle/#x1)
- We heard muffled voices through the wall. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/muffle/#x2)
- She muffled her giggles with a pillow. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/muffle/#x3)
- We tested which material muffles sound best. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/muffle/#x4)
- The children were muffled up in scarves and hats. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/muffle/#x5)
- Car mufflers (US) make engines quieter. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/muffle/#x6)

### Note

Past form «muffled». Related: «muffler» (a scarf, UK old-fashioned; a car exhaust silencer, US). Muffling does not stop sound completely; it reduces it.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «muffle» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/muffle/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«muffle» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/muffle.html) on Mova free.