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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Mute: Meaning, Examples, and Correct Usage (3 meaning)

Meaning 1：silent (Mute)

Mute 🔊

/mjuːt/

adj., v., n.

When the sound of something like a TV or phone is turned off, so you can't hear it.

The mute icon on a smartphone screen showing a speaker with a red slash through it, symbolizing silence and no audible output

silent 🔊

➕

/ˈsaɪlənt/

adj., v., n.

Describes a state where sound from a device or source is intentionally turned off, resulting in no audible output.

📁 Category：Technological Inventions 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'mutus' meaning silent or speechless.

💡 Mnemonic

Mute sounds like 'moot' – when you mute, the sound becomes irrelevant.

📖 Example

When I put on my noise-canceling headphones, the noisy street outside instantly became mute. 🔊 When I put on my noise-canceling headphones, the noisy street outside instantly became mute.

🔗 Collocations

mute button – a control that silences audio output

mute mode – a setting where sound is disabled

go mute – to become silent or have sound cut off

🔄 Synonyms

silent (adj.) – making no sound; quiet

noiseless (adj.) – producing no noise

soundless (adj.) – without any sound

🚫 Antonyms

loud (adj.) – producing or capable of producing much noise

audible (adj.) – able to be heard

🌱 Derivatives

mutely (adv.) – in a silent manner

muteness (n.) – the state of being silent

📖 Cultural Story

Originates from Latin 'mutus' (silent). In modern tech culture, the mute button is ubiquitous in video conferencing, symbolizing control over audio.

Meaning 2：silence (verb) (Mute)

Mute 🔊

/mjuːt/

adj., v., n.

To turn off the sound from something, like a microphone in an online meeting.

A person clicking the mute button on a video conferencing interface, with a fading barking dog silhouette representing silenced sound

silence (verb) 🔊

➕

/ˈsaɪləns/

adj., v., n.

To deliberately turn off or suppress the sound from a device, microphone, or other audio source.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

Could you please mute your microphone while I'm presenting to reduce the background noise? 🔊 Could you please mute your microphone while I'm presenting to reduce the background noise?

🔗 Collocations

mute a call – to disable audio during a phone conversation

mute notifications – to suppress alerts on a device

mute the speaker – to turn off sound output from a loudspeaker

🔄 Synonyms

silence (v.) – to make quiet or stop from making noise

quieten (v.) – to cause to become quiet

hush (v.) – to make someone or something silent

🚫 Antonyms

unmute (v.) – to restore sound after it has been silenced

amplify (v.) – to increase the volume of sound

🌱 Derivatives

unmute (v.) – to cancel a mute state; turn sound back on

muting (n.) – the act of silencing sound

Meaning 3：mute person (Mute)

Mute 🔊

/mjuːt/

adj., v., n.

A person who is unable to speak.

A mute individual using sign language with expressive hand gestures, facing an attentive listener in a quiet setting

mute person 🔊

➕

/mjuːt ˈpɜːrsn/

adj., v., n.

An individual who is unable to speak, often due to a physical or psychological condition, and may use alternative communication methods like sign language.

📁 Category：Social Roles 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

Although he was mute, he communicated beautifully with everyone through sign language and a warm smile. 🔊 Although he was mute, he communicated beautifully with everyone through sign language and a warm smile.

🔗 Collocations

born mute – unable to speak from birth

mute from trauma – having lost speech ability due to psychological shock

mute and deaf – unable to speak and hear

🔄 Synonyms

speechless (adj.) – unable to speak, especially temporarily

nonverbal (adj.) – not using spoken language

dumb (adj.) – unable to speak (dated; can be offensive)

🚫 Antonyms

talkative (adj.) – fond of or given to talking

verbal (adj.) – relating to or in the form of words; spoken

🌱 Derivatives

mutism (n.) – the condition of being unable to speak

mutely (adv.) – without speaking