Muzak

//ˈmjuːzæk// name, noun, verb

name, noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Easy listening music, whether played live or recorded, especially if regarded as uninteresting. derogatory, often, uncountable

    "The sound you make is muzak to my ears / You must have learned something in all those years"

  2. 2
    Alternative letter-case form of Muzak (“easy listening music, especially if regarded as uninteresting; something regarded as droning on and often boring, or soothing but undemanding”). alt-of, uncountable

    "The sound you make is muzak to my ears / You must have learned something in all those years"

  3. 3
    Something (such as speech) regarded as droning on and often boring, or soothing but undemanding. derogatory, figuratively, often, uncountable
Verb
  1. 1
    To provide (premises, etc.) with Muzak. derogatory, often, transitive
  2. 2
    Alternative letter-case form of Muzak. alt-of
  3. 3
    To adapt or reduce (a piece of music, etc.) to the status of Muzak. derogatory, often, transitive

    "Willington had seen disco for what it was – the great Muzaking of rock and roll via a chintzy chorus, chintzy rotating mirror balls, and chintzy Arthur Murray twirling."

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    Recorded background music characterized by soft, soothing instrumental sounds which is transmitted by wire, radio, or recorded media (originally on a subscription basis) to doctors' offices, shops, and other business premises. uncountable

    "It dawned on her that he was talking about the Muzak. It had been seeping in, in its subliminal, unidentifiable way since they'd entered the place, all strings, reeds, muted brass."

Synonyms

All synonyms
aural wallpaperaural wallpaperbackground musicear candyelevator musiclift music

Example

More examples

"I'd rather stick beans in my ears than listen to your modern muzak."

Etymology

The noun is a blend of music + the letters ak from Kodak, a well-known brand in 1934 when the word was coined by the American inventor, scientist, and soldier George Owen Squier (1865–1934), who developed the original technical basis for the service. The verb is derived from the noun.

Related phrases

Muzak mancompact disceasy listeningelevator music

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.