muck 1 of 2

noun

ˈmək How to pronounce muck (audio)
Definition of mucknext
1
as in dirt
foul matter that mars the purity or cleanliness of something spattered with muck from the pigpen

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mud
soft wet earth her shoes were covered with muck by the end of the soccer game

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3
as in junk
that which is of low quality or worth what's this muck that you've been watching on TV, anyway?

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4
as in garbage
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense there's some solid substance in this book, but the reader has to trudge through a lot of muck to get to it

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muck

2 of 2

verb

as in to stain
to make dirty you can't work in the garden and not expect to muck your clothes

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of muck
Noun
France played through the rain and muck to beat Iraq 3-0 behind two goals from Kylian Mbappé. — ABC News, 22 June 2026 Thus does a man who swore an oath to uphold the Constitution slide into the muck of corruption. — Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2026
Verb
Whether shoveling your driveway, building a snow man with the kids, or just generally mucking around in the cold, sleet and snow, Muck Boots will keep you comfortable and protected. — Tory Johnson, ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026 In retirement, he’s gone back to that childhood, mucking the stalls and helping care for a menagerie that includes two horses, 10 mini goats, two mini pigs, a pair of horses and a bunch of chickens and dogs and cats. — Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for muck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muck
  1. dirt
  2. mud
  3. junk
  4. garbage
  5. stain
  6. soil
  7. cheese
  8. nonsense
Noun
  • Driving into the estate down a dirt track, you’re met with concrete walls that frame the space with gallery-like precision, directing your eyes toward geological features rather than distracting from them.
    — Lara Johnson-Wheeler, Vogue, 3 July 2026
  • Washing blueberries removes dirt and toxins that may cling to the fruit during handling and transporting from farm to store.
    — Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 3 July 2026
Definition of dirt
Noun
  • Doing this reportedly required understanding the molecular structure of mud.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 2 July 2026
  • The pigs that would soon enough become lunch lazed in the compost-pile mud in front of a five-star-hotel-worthy view of the Cretan Sea.
    — Shannon McMahon, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 July 2026
Definition of mud
Noun
  • Gonzales ran with a platform decisively to the left, supporting Medicare-for-all, raising the minimum wage and cracking down on junk fees.
    — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • Tire pressure sensors are vital to a vehicle’s health, especially when driving on pothole and junk-laden Atlanta streets.
    — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 28 June 2026
Definition of junk
Noun
  • Decomposing food can release hydrogen sulfide, a toxic gas synonymous with landfills and garbage.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • Epidemics, worsened by the unsanitary conditions caused by the mountains of garbage the government has stopped collecting, combine with the shortage of medicines and the dire state of medical facilities.
    — Sarah Moreno July 1, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026
Definition of garbage
Verb
  • Semi-sheer, marbled accent nails look like they’ve been stained with blackberry juice.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 29 June 2026
  • Dressing up for warmer weather can be a challenge since plush fabrics like silk can easily stain and aren’t as breathable.
    — Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 26 June 2026
Definition of stain
Noun
  • The family fought for three hours last July Fourth to stay alive after more than a summer’s worth of rain fell overnight on bone-dry soil, pushing the waterway from about 3 feet to 30 feet in just 45 minutes.
    — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • The animals damage agricultural land, consume native vegetation, contribute to soil erosion and compete with livestock for forage.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of soil
Noun
  • The Detroit pizza features the style’s signature crown of crispy cheese around the edges, and a blanket of brick cheese.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • This is just one of several recalls to hit ALDI products in recent months, including more than 500,000 boxes of mac and cheese.
    — Drew Pittock, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Definition of cheese
Noun
  • Until recently, that would have sounded like absolute nonsense.
    — Zach Harper, New York Times, 30 June 2026
  • There weren’t meetings with executives about tone and mood and all this nonsense.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 29 June 2026
Definition of nonsense

Phrases Containing muck

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mucilages
muck
muck (about or around)
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Cite this Entry

“Muck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muck. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on muck

Nglish: Translation of muck for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about muck

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