Muffled
'mʌfld
Definitions
3 meaningsTo wrap or cover something, typically a person or a part of the body, for warmth or protection.
'mʌfəl
To wrap or cover for warmth or protection.
She muffled the baby in a blanket.
💡 Simply: To wrap something up. Imagine you're cold, so you wrap yourself in a blanket to muffle the cold.
👶 For kids: To wrap something to keep it warm or safe, like putting on a cozy blanket.
More Examples
He muffled his face with a coat collar against the wind.
How It's Used
"She muffled herself in a thick scarf to avoid the cold."
To deaden or reduce the sound of something.
'mʌfəl
The snow muffled the sounds of the city.
💡 Simply: To make a sound quieter. Like when you put a blanket over a loud toy to make it quieter.
👶 For kids: To make something quieter, like when you cover your ears.
More Examples
He spoke in a muffled voice.
The curtains muffled the sound of the television.
How It's Used
"The heavy curtains muffled the sounds from the street."
"The sound engineer muffled the drums to reduce the volume."
Describes a sound that is quiet and unclear, often because something is covering or absorbing the sound.
'mʌfld
Describes a sound that is quiet and unclear.
We heard a muffled shout from the distance.
💡 Simply: A sound that's quiet and hard to hear. Like when someone whispers and you can't quite understand them.
👶 For kids: A sound that's quiet, like when you put your hand over your mouth.
More Examples
His muffled voice made it difficult to understand him.
The muffled sound of the radio drifted from the next apartment.
How It's Used
"He heard a muffled cry from the next room."
"A muffled sob escaped her lips."
Idioms & expressions
muffled laughter
Quiet, suppressed laughter, often indicating amusement or embarrassment.
"A wave of muffled laughter rippled through the audience."
muffled cry
A quiet, suppressed cry, indicating distress or sadness.
"A muffled cry escaped from behind the closed door."
muffled sound
A quiet, unclear noise, indicating an obscured sound.
"He heard a muffled sound coming from the trunk of the car."
From Middle English *mofflen*, likely related to Middle Dutch *moffelen* ('to wrap up') and Old French *moufle* ('mitten'). The term originally suggested covering or wrapping, leading to the current meaning of suppressing sound.
The word 'muffle' and its derivatives have been used since the Middle Ages, initially describing the covering or wrapping of things, and later extending to the concept of suppressing sound.
Memory tip
Think of wrapping a scarf around your neck to muffle the cold wind.
Word Origin
"To wrap or envelop"