muted
/ˈmjuːtɪd
/adjective
1(Of a sound or voice) quiet and soft: the muted hum of the distant traffic...
- At last I heard the outer door open; felt a draught of air and heard muted footsteps crossing the soft carpet of the sitting room.
- A soft, muted noise at my back made me jump and turn around.
- It was dead quiet, except for the muted voices coming from the gymnasium.
1.1(Of a musical instrument) having a muffled sound as a result of being fitted with a mute.This stripped-down affair featured singer Kelly Jones on acoustic guitar, accompanied by piano, muted electric guitar and electric bass....
- Langorous horns, ticking guitars and muted keyboards have been added, sketching out long, graceful arcs of melody over the bubbling rhythms.
- The guitars are flat and muted, the vocals spare and disaffected, and the theatrical, climactic scream-along choruses are absent.
1.2Not expressed strongly or openly: muted anger...
- This is more an expression of muted anger.
- The opposition ranged from fierce anger to muted dissent.
- She glared at him as she pulled down a coffee cup and slammed it down onto the counter with muted anger.
Synonyms
muffled, faint, indistinct, quiet, soft, softened, low, dull;
hushed, whispered, lowered, stifled, suppressed
1.3(Of colour or lighting) not bright; subdued: a dress in muted tones of powder blue and dusty pink...
- First there were a host of tiles, partitions and wall coverings to enhance the look of the room with splashes of bright colour, muted hues and soft lighting.
- His style became less angular, tending towards graceful curves, and he used subtle muted colours, sometimes mixing sand with his paint to produce a textured effect.
- There are bolts of taupe fabric draped on the windows, and the lighting is muted.
Synonyms
subdued, pastel, delicate, faded, dusty, subtle, toned down, understated, discreet, unobtrusive, restrained, low-key