unmute

[ uhn-myoot ]

verb (used with object)

1. to remove a mute from (a musical instrument):

   His tone, in the rare moments when his trumpet was unmuted, was clean and clear.

2. to turn on (a microphone, a speaker, or audio), especially after it has been temporarily turned off or when muted sound is the default:

   During this part of the training the microphones will remain unmuted, so please keep background noise to a minimum.

verb (used without object)

1. to restore the sound, as from a microphone:

   When you ask questions, be sure to allow a couple of seconds for your remote audience members to unmute.

Word History and Origins

Origin of unmute¹

First recorded in 1810–15; un- ²( def ) + mute ( def )

Example Sentences

"The reason she's saying to unmute the mics is because Trump is uncontrolled," Ameshia Cross, a Democratic strategist and political analyst, told the BBC.

From BBC

Ford O’Connell, a Republican strategist, told the BBC that he believes the Harris campaign's effort to unmute the microphones is an attempt to move the debate away from the issues and into the arena of grabby viral moments.

From BBC

“The Harris team wanting to unmute Trump’s debate mic so that he can interrupt her suggests they may have finally learned the lesson liberals until now have not: the key to beating Trump is not muzzling him, but letting voters hear him unfiltered so they remember whey they dislike him,” Yair Rosenberg, a columnist at The Atlantic, posted on social media Monday.

From Salon

"Now, who wants to give it a go, you can unmute."

From BBC

“In a Zoom situation, I’m usually the one who doesn’t find the connection, who doesn’t find the unmute button, who has the little lens covered — all of that,” he said, laughing.

From Seattle Times