The word aphonous refers to something that lacks sound or is silent. Its synonyms include soundless, noiseless, silent, still, hushed, and mute. Each of these words refers to a state of quiet or absence of noise. Soundless implies a complete lack of sound or noise. Noiseless suggests an absence of unwanted or disturbing sounds. Silent typically refers to a lack of noise or sound, but can also denote a lack of speech or communication. Still implies a peaceful and tranquil silence, while hushed describes a subdued or muffled quiet. Finally, mute refers to a complete absence of sound due to a physical inability to produce speech.