mute
gb/mjˈut/ us/mjˈut/
B1
English
~ 6100
lenémít, lehalkít, hallgat, néma, csendben marad, elnémult, szótlan, lenémított, csökkent, tompít, enyhít, kifakít, mérsékel, visszafogott, tompa, szordínó, tompító, beszélni nem tudó személy, siketnéma
VERB
B1
1
Usage pattern:
to mute [something]
Please mute your microphone when you’re not speaking.
Kérlek, némítsd le a mikrofonodat, amikor épp nem beszélsz.
He quickly muted the TV when his phone rang.
Gyorsan lenémította a tévét, amikor megszólalt a telefonja.
I mute notifications at night so my phone doesn’t wake me up.
You can mute the video if the music is too loud.
She forgot to mute herself and everyone heard her conversation.
Learner examples
Please mute your phone in the meeting.
Kérlek, némítsd le a telefonodat a megbeszélésen.
I mute my laptop when I watch a movie on the train.
Lenémítom a laptopomat, amikor filmet nézek a vonaton.
He muted the game so he could talk to his friend.
You should mute yourself when you are not talking.
I always mute notifications when I go to sleep.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use only 'close the sound' or 'shut the sound' for devices. In technology contexts (online meetings, phones, apps), 'mute' or 'silence' are the natural verbs. Also, 'mute' normally needs an object: say 'mute the TV' or 'mute your mic', not just '*I mute' without saying what.
Meaning
turn off or lower sound
Collocations
mute the microphone
|mute the TV
|mute your phone
|mute the sound
|mute notifications
|mute yourself
Synonyms
silence (Slightly more formal; often used for phones and alarms as well, but less common for online calls than 'mute'.)
Antonyms
unmute (Direct opposite in the context of calls or devices; means to turn the sound back on.)
Themes
technology
|daily life
|communication
Definition
To stop or make sound very low on a phone, TV, computer, or microphone.
To turn off or greatly reduce the sound produced by something, especially an electronic device or someone’s microphone.
B2
2
Usage pattern:
[someone] is/stands/falls mute
She was mute with shock when she heard the news.
Néma volt a döbbenettől, amikor meghallotta a hírt.
The class fell mute as the principal walked in.
Az osztály elnémult, amikor belépett az igazgató.
He sat mute in the corner, refusing to answer their questions.
The children were strangely mute during the performance.
His anger left him mute and shaking.
Learner examples
The child was mute with fear.
A gyerek néma volt a félelemtől.
Everyone went mute when the teacher shouted.
Mindenki elnémult, amikor a tanár rájuk kiáltott.
He stayed mute and did not answer.
She stood mute in front of the big crowd.
They were mute for a few seconds after the bad news.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'mute' to mean 'shy'. 'Mute' means not speaking at all, often suddenly or in a very strong way, not just speaking a little. For a person who does not speak because of a disability, modern English normally uses phrases like 'a person who is nonverbal' rather than 'a mute', which is now felt as old-fashioned or offensive.
Meaning
silent, not speaking
Collocations
stood mute
|fell mute
|struck mute
|remained mute
|fell mute with shock
Synonyms
silent (Very close in meaning; 'silent' is more common in everyday speech, while 'mute' often sounds a bit stronger or more dramatic.)
Antonyms
talkative (Describes a person who speaks a lot, the opposite of someone who is mute and not speaking at all.)
Themes
emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Not saying anything; completely silent and not using your voice.
Not speaking or making any sound with the voice, especially at a particular moment, often because of shock, fear, or choice.
B1
3
lenémított
B1
Usage pattern:
[device] is on mute
I think your mic is on mute.
Szerintem le van némítva a mikrofonod.
Make sure your phone is mute before the performance starts.
Győződj meg róla, hogy le van némítva a telefonod, mielőtt elkezdődik az előadás.
The video started playing, but the audio was mute.
Her laptop stayed mute, so no one heard the alarm.
The line was mute for a few seconds and then the sound came back.
Learner examples
Your microphone is mute. We cannot hear you.
Le van némítva a mikrofonod. Nem hallunk.
Please keep your phone on mute in the cinema.
Kérlek, tartsd lenémítva a telefonodat a moziban.
The TV was mute, so we only saw the pictures.
My laptop is on mute, so the music is very quiet.
His line went mute during the call.
Common mistake:
Learners may say '*the sound is closed' or '*the sound is offed'. Use 'on mute' or 'muted' to describe the state, and 'mute' as a verb for the action. For example: 'My phone is on mute', 'I muted my phone'.
Meaning
with sound turned off
Collocations
on mute
|kept on mute
|left on mute
|mic is mute
|phone is mute
Synonyms
silent (Can describe a device with no sound, but 'on silent' often means no ringing but still some sounds; 'on mute' or 'mute' is more specific to turned-off sound in calls and videos.)
Antonyms
unmuted (Technical opposite in digital audio; means the sound of a device or channel is enabled again.)
Themes
technology
|communication
|daily life
Definition
Used for a phone, TV, or microphone when the sound is off.
Describes a device, app, or audio channel whose sound has been turned off.
VERB
C1
4
Usage pattern:
to mute [feeling/response/criticism/effect]
The government tried to mute criticism by announcing a small reform.
A kormány egy kisebb reform bejelentésével próbálta tompítani a kritikákat.
Thick curtains helped mute the noise from the street.
A vastag függönyök tompították az utcáról beszűrődő zajt.
Her calm voice muted the tension in the room.
They muted the bright colors to give the room a softer feel.
The good news muted his earlier anger.
Learner examples
Heavy rain muted the sound of the traffic.
A heves eső tompította a forgalom zaját.
The manager tried to mute the bad news with a smile.
A vezető egy mosollyal próbálta enyhíteni a rossz hír élét.
Soft music muted the noise of the party.
They muted the colors in the photo to make it look old.
Her kind words muted his fear a little.
Common mistake:
Learners often only know 'mute' for technology. In written English you can also 'mute criticism', 'mute the impact', or 'mute emotions', meaning to make them less strong. Do not confuse this with 'moot', which means 'not important anymore'.
Meaning
soften or weaken something
Collocations
mute criticism
|mute the impact
|mute his excitement
|mute their response
|mute the colors
Synonyms
soften (Very close meaning; 'soften' is more common in everyday speech, while 'mute' can sound slightly more formal or literary.)
Antonyms
intensify (Means to make something stronger or more extreme, the opposite of muting or softening it.)
Themes
emotions
|communication
|art
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make something less strong or less loud, for example a feeling, reaction, or color.
To make something less strong, noticeable, or extreme, such as criticism, emotions, colors, or sound.
B2
5
visszafogott
B2
tompa
B1
Usage pattern:
muted [colors/tones/response]
The designer chose muted colors for a calm, modern look.
A tervező visszafogott színeket választott a nyugodt, modern hatás érdekében.
Their reaction to the announcement was surprisingly muted.
A bejelentésre adott reakciójuk meglepően visszafogott volt.
Soft, muted lighting made the restaurant feel intimate.
The film’s muted soundtrack fits its serious tone.
There was only muted applause at the end of the speech.
Learner examples
She likes clothes with muted colors.
Szereti a visszafogott színű ruhákat.
The room has muted light, so it feels relaxed.
A szobában tompa a fény, ezért nyugodt hangulatú.
The news brought a muted response from the crowd.
The music in the café is soft and muted.
He spoke in a muted voice after the accident.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'muted' with 'mutual' or 'moot'. 'Muted' is about low strength in color, sound, or feeling. Also, this sense is usually expressed with 'muted' (past participle form) rather than base-form 'mute'.
Meaning
subdued in color, sound, or feeling
Collocations
muted colors
|muted tones
|muted lighting
|muted response
|muted applause
Synonyms
subdued (Very close in meaning; 'subdued' is a bit more formal, while 'muted' is common in art, design, and emotional descriptions.)
Antonyms
vibrant (Often used for colors or atmospheres that are very bright and full of energy, the opposite of muted or subdued.)
Themes
art
|emotions
|arts_entertainment
Definition
Describes colors, sounds, or feelings that are soft and not very strong; usually seen as 'muted'.
Subtle, soft, or not strong in color, sound, or emotional expression; more often used in the derived form 'muted'.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
6
Usage pattern:
to use a mute on [instrument]
The violinist put on a mute for the quiet passage.
A hegedűművész feltette a szordínót a halkabb szakaszhoz.
You should use a practice mute if you play late at night.
Használj gyakorló szordínót, ha késő este játszol.
The score calls for trumpets with mutes in this section.
He forgot his mute and had to borrow one from another player.
Different mutes can give the trombone very different colors.
Learner examples
The trumpet player used a mute to make the sound soft.
A trombitás szordínót használt, hogy lágyabb legyen a hang.
Please put a mute on your violin for this song.
Kérlek, tegyél szordínót a hegedűdre ehhez a dalhoz.
She bought a new mute for her trombone.
With a mute, the instrument is not so loud.
He took the mute out, and the music became much louder.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that 'mute' is also a noun in music. Do not confuse this with muting microphones in apps; here it is a physical object that changes the instrument’s sound.
Meaning
sound-reducing device for instruments
Collocations
violin mute
|trumpet mute
|use a mute
|practice mute
|insert the mute
Synonyms
dampener (General word for something that reduces vibration or sound; less precise and less common in music than 'mute'.)
Antonyms
amplifier (Instruments use a mute to reduce sound; an amplifier increases sound, so it is an opposite in musical settings.)
Themes
music
|art
|arts_entertainment
Definition
A small thing you put on a musical instrument to make it quieter or change its sound.
A small device attached to or inserted into a musical instrument to reduce its volume or change its tone.
NOUN
C1
ARCHAIC
7
Usage pattern:
a mute
In the old novel, a mute appears as a mysterious servant.
A régi regényben egy néma tűnik fel titokzatos szolgaként.
He was described in the report as a deaf-mute, a term now considered offensive.
A jelentésben siketnémaként írták le, pedig ezt a kifejezést ma már sértőnek tartják.
The doctor wrote that the child was thought to be a mute.
Many charities avoid the word 'mute' and use modern language instead.
Historical records sometimes label people simply as 'mutes'.
Learner examples
The word 'mute' for a person is old and can be rude.
A „néma” szó személyre használva régies, és bántó lehet.
In some old books, a person who cannot speak is called a mute.
Néhány régi könyvben a beszélni nem tudó embert némának nevezik.
Today, people do not like to say 'a mute'.
Use 'a person who is nonverbal' instead of 'a mute'.
The movie showed a character who was called a mute servant.
Common mistake:
Some learners directly translate from their own language and say 'a mute' for a person who cannot speak. In modern English, this is old-fashioned and often offensive. Use phrases like 'a person who is nonverbal' or 'a person who cannot speak' instead.
Meaning
person who cannot speak (old use)
Collocations
a deaf-mute
|born mute
|a mute from birth
Synonyms
nonverbal person (Modern, more respectful phrase; describes someone who does not use speech, without the negative tone of 'a mute'.)
Antonyms
speaker (Refers to someone who speaks; opposite of a person described as unable to speak.)
Themes
health
|communication
Definition
An old word for a person who cannot speak. Today this word is usually avoided because it can sound rude.
A person who is unable to speak; this use is now old-fashioned and can be offensive when referring to people with disabilities.
Grammar
Dictionary form
mute
IPA
GB/mjˈut/
US/mjˈut/
Syllables & stress
mute (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (mute)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: mute
Noun
- Base: mute
- Plural: mutes
Verb
- Base: mute
- 3rd Person Singular: mutes
- Present Participle: muting
- Past: muted
Word family
Forms
mutes
noun
muting
verb
muted
verb
Related words
mutely
adverb
muteness
noun
Negative and opposite forms
unmute
verb
Advanced or less common
mutism
noun
Expressions
mute button
1/mjˈut bˈʌtən/
fixed phrase
button to stop the sound
A button you press on a remote, phone, or app to turn the sound off or back on.
Examples
- Just hit the mute button if the ad is too loud.
- I pressed the mute button by mistake and lost the audio.
- The mute button is at the top of the remote.
mute the mic
1/mjˈut ðə mˈɪk/
fixed phrase
turn off microphone sound
To stop sound from your microphone in a call or meeting.
Examples
- Please mute the mic when you’re not talking.
- He forgot to mute the mic and everyone heard the background noise.
- If there is an echo, try muting the mic.
on mute
1/ˈɔn mjˈut/
fixed phrase
with the sound turned off
Used when the sound of a phone, TV, computer, or microphone is turned off.
Examples
- Sorry, I was on mute and you couldn’t hear me.
- Please stay on mute unless you need to speak.
- Make sure your phone is on mute during the movie.
stay on mute
1/stˈeɪ ˈɔn mjˈut/
fixed phrase
continue with sound off
To keep your microphone or device with the sound turned off.
Examples
- Students should stay on mute until the teacher calls on them.
- During the performance, please stay on mute unless you are speaking.
- He stayed on mute for the whole meeting.