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
There is not an apparent muzzle flash from the shotgun during the short clip, which does not show the area where Allen was detained.
From Barron's ● May 3, 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
It had breath and claws, and it moved in an odd shambling walk, growling to itself while the spit trailed from its muzzle.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
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
The disease resembles white fuzz on bats’ muzzles and wings.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 13, 2022
These, which were the proper hounds for boars, wore muzzles because of their ferocity.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
The American Pope, meanwhile, refuses to be muzzled.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026
“We look forward to making sure that oversight is preserved and protected and not muzzled and not unplugged or sabotaged.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 19, 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
"The dog was in a public place not abiding by the conditions to be muzzled and kept on a lead," added Ms Wade.
From BBC ● Jan. 29, 2025
But it’s not like Mom and Dad muzzled you.
From "P.S. I Miss You" by Jen Petro-Roy
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
Fayenson said the couple had started muzzling the dog after Venafro was injured.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 31, 2024
"There should be more muzzling brought into place for dogs that could be like that," she added.
From BBC ● Jan. 12, 2024
I am glad to say that during the Omdurman Campaign there was no attempt, within my knowledge, of muzzling the press.
From Khartoum Campaign, 1898 or the Re-Conquest of the Soudan by Bennet Burleigh
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.
