An exhaust muffler in which the anti-scattering property of a sound deadening element is high and for which shaping is not required and a sound deadening element for use with the exhaust muffler. An exhaust muffler includes an expansion chamber into which exhaust gas of an engine is introduced, and a sound deadening element in which the expansion chamber is inserted. The sound deadening element is configured from a knitted article formed by knitting continuous fibers of glass fiber. The exhaust muffler further includes an inner pipe inserted in a spaced relationship from an inner circumferential wall of the expansion chamber in the expansion chamber and configured to introduce the exhaust gas therethrough. The sound deadening element is disposed between an outer circumferential wall of the inner pipe and the inner circumferential wall of the expansion chamber.