muted
Americanadjective
adjective
-
(of a sound or colour) softened
a muted pink shirt
-
(of an emotion or action) subdued or restrained
his response was muted
-
(of a musical instrument) being played while fitted with a mute
muted trumpet
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of muted
Explanation
Something muted has a softened tone or quieted sound. When you try to listen through the wall at what someone is saying, it's really muted and mumbly, even if you put a glass to your ear. When you mute the TV or computer speakers, all of the sound goes quiet, but something described as muted is just toned down or turned down. When you whisper you speak in a muted voice; it's not completely quiet or no one would hear you, but it's quiet enough to muffle the sounds or secrets you share. Muted colors don’t stand out as much as bright ones. Beiges and soft grays are muted, and they're great for showing off bright contrasts like a turquoise scarf or red tie.
Vocabulary lists containing muted
The Cay
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Long Way Down
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Shhhh! Synonyms for "Quiet"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While the first two seasons often presented Lestat through structured tailoring and muted palettes, Season 3 arrives in a much louder world.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 20, 2026
Beyond the pump, with a few exceptions, sales were muted and trade in volume terms was flat.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026
U.S. stocks are rallying, with the S&P 500 near an all-time high, amid a muted VIX index and low Treasury bond yields.
From Barron's • Jun. 17, 2026
Produced by Sandy Linzer, the record was simultaneously rooted in the past and present, blending hypnotic, churning rhythms with sympathetic strings, smooth saxophones and muted trumpets.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026
We were both dressed in dark suits, white shirts, and muted ties.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
