Unmute Meaning and Usage Explained

Meaning 1：turn off mute (Unmute)

Unmute 🔊

/ʌnˈmjuːt/

To turn off the mute function on a device, allowing sound to be heard or transmitted.

Unmute icon clicked on laptop during online meeting with sound waves

turn off mute 🔊

➕

/tɜːrn ɔːf mjuːt/

To deactivate the mute setting on a device, allowing audio to be heard or transmitted.

📁 Category：Technological Inventions 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Prefix 'un-' reverses the action; 'mute' means silent.

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine pressing an 'un' button to remove the 'mute' sign, restoring sound.

📖 Example

Please unmute your microphone so we can hear your presentation clearly. 🔊 You need to turn off mute on your microphone so that your presentation can be heard clearly.

🔗 Collocations

unmute the microphone – to turn off mute on the microphone

unmute yourself – to enable your own audio

unmute the audio – to restore sound for the audio track

🔄 Synonyms

enable sound (v. phrase) – to make sound audible again

turn on audio (v. phrase) – to activate audio output

unmute (v.) – to cancel mute

🚫 Antonyms

mute (v.) – to turn off sound on a device

silence (v.) – to make quiet, equivalent to mute

turn off sound (v. phrase) – to disable audio

🌱 Derivatives

unmuting (n.) – the act of turning off mute

unmuted (adj.) – having sound enabled

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Latin 'mutus' (silent). The term became common in digital communication, especially in video calls. A common phrase: 'You're on mute!'