muzzle
Americannoun
-
muzzles
plural
-
the mouth, or end for discharge, of the barrel of a gun, pistol, etc.
-
the projecting part of the head of an animal, including jaws, mouth, and nose.
-
a device, usually an arrangement of straps or wires, placed over an animal's mouth to prevent the animal from biting, eating, etc.
verb (used with object)
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muzzles,
present (3rd person singular)
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muzzled,
past participle, past
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muzzling
present participle
-
to put a muzzle on (an animal or its mouth) so as to prevent biting, eating, etc.
-
to restrain from speech, the expression of opinion, etc..
The censors muzzled the press.
-
Nautical. to attach the cable to the stock of (an anchor) by means of a light line to permit the anchor to be pulled loose readily.
noun
-
the projecting part of the face, usually the jaws and nose, of animals such as the dog and horse
-
a guard or strap fitted over an animal's nose and jaws to prevent it biting or eating
-
the front end of a gun barrel
verb
-
to prevent from being heard or noticed
to muzzle the press
-
to put a muzzle on (an animal)
-
to take in (a sail)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
muzzlesimple
-
muzzlessimple
-
have muzzledperfect
-
has muzzledperfect
-
am muzzlingprogressive
-
are muzzlingprogressive
-
is muzzlingprogressive
-
have been muzzlingperfect progressive
-
has been muzzlingperfect progressive
Past
-
muzzledsimple
-
had muzzledperfect
-
was muzzlingprogressive
-
were muzzlingprogressive
-
had been muzzlingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of muzzle
1350–1400; Middle English musel < Middle French < Medieval Latin mūsellum, diminutive of mūsum snout < ?
Explanation
A muzzle is a guard that covers an animal's mouth to keep it from biting. If your dog is aggressive, you might have to put a muzzle on her when you take her to the dog park. Muzzle comes from the Latin morsus meaning "bite." A muzzle is the nose and mouth of an animal like a cat or dog. It's also the name for a guard made of straps or wire that's worn over this part of an animal's face to keep it from biting. It's the mouth of a gun, too. If you muzzle someone, you gag him to prevent him from speaking.
Vocabulary lists containing muzzle
Of Mice and Men
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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
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"The Highwayman"
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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.
See Examples For:
Deborah famously tried to muzzle Ava a few times, only to back off when she realized that by hurting her protégé, she was wounding herself.
From Salon ● May 29, 2026
Media monitors have criticised the junta for weaponising the legislation to muzzle journalists and social media users critical of their takeover.
From Barron's ● Mar. 2, 2026
AT&T then sued BBB National Programs, of which NAD is a division, accusing the group of seeking to muzzle free speech.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 14, 2025
He was also able to put the dog's muzzle back on.
From BBC ● Dec. 6, 2025
I get to him, but before I pull his arm away, the horse gently nudges my brother’s hand with the top of its muzzle.
From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya
After hundreds of generations of human breeding, the dogs that emerged had shorter muzzles, smaller teeth and an enormous range of sizes, from lapdogs to hulking guardians.
From BBC ● Mar. 25, 2026
They observed six of the animals licking nectar-filled flowers from as many as 30 plants, one after another—coating their muzzles in pollen in the process.
From Science Magazine ● Nov. 19, 2024
The fuzzy white fungus officially known as Pseudogymnoascus destructans covers their wings, tails and muzzles in a thick coat.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2024
Kuehn also testified that producers had tasked her with obtaining dramatic photographs of gun muzzles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 6, 2024
When the animals plunged their muzzles into the water, hunting parties attacked, forcing the startled bison to flee into a dead-end gully.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
The American Pope, meanwhile, refuses to be muzzled.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026
It added XL bullies "must be registered, microchipped, neutered and kept muzzled and on a lead in public and have third party insurance with The Dogs Trust".
From BBC ● Mar. 22, 2025
According to Inc.'s Bruce Crumley, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield are “reportedly looking to reacquire the beloved ice cream brand, claiming its corporate owner has muzzled the company's social activism.”
From Salon ● Mar. 4, 2025
Dogs registered before the ban must be neutered, muzzled in public and kept in secure conditions.
From BBC ● Dec. 19, 2024
“But how could I stay there, muzzled like a dog?” my father said.
From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen
Experts said such provisos still have the effect of muzzling a victim’s speech and hindering public accountability.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 19, 2025
Lu said his “recourse to legal action has never been about muzzling fair criticism. It’s about defending against false claims that can seriously damage reputations.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 28, 2025
“I know that’s not as interesting as muzzling a comedian, but it’s so important to have a free press, and it is nuts that we aren’t paying more attention to it.”
From Salon ● Sep. 26, 2025
She said a combination of measures were being brought in by the government to protect the public, including rules on muzzling and breeding.
From BBC ● Dec. 18, 2023
I spent a difficult afternoon in muzzling my sense of proportion, and journeyed back to Town sore, but very sorry.
From Tatterdemalion by John Galsworthy
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.
