muddy 1 of 2

adjective

ˈmə-dē How to pronounce muddy (audio)
Definition of muddynext
1
as in mucky
full of or covered with soft wet earth please do not walk in the house with muddy boots on, as you will get the carpet dirty

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2
as in turbid
having visible particles in liquid suspension whether muddy or not, water taken from lakes and streams should be boiled by campers

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3
as in dusty
not clean we were all muddy after playing outside

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

muddy

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to confuse
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty my mind had been thoroughly muddied by the long hours of exacting work

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2
as in to blur
to make (something) unclear to the understanding that argument is irrelevant and will just muddy the issue we're trying to resolve

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3
as in to dirty
to make dirty forgot to take off our shoes and accidentally muddied the kitchen floor

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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 muddy
Adjective
Jigs with rattles are most productive and a big, active trailer is the way to go in muddy water. — David A. Brown, Outdoor Life, 1 July 2026 Farmed fish can taste muddy, due in part to algae and bacteria in catfish ponds, the compounds of which can be stored in the fat of the fish themselves. — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2026
Verb
As radio waves travel across the universe, interstellar gas muddies them, generating a characteristic delay in the signal that depends on frequency. — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 26 June 2026 The commercial landscape has also been muddied by a proliferation of companies launching algorithms which purport to estimate biological age using selfies or surveys, and are not based on any real science at all. — Juergen Eckhardt, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for muddy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muddy
  1. mucky
  2. turbid
  3. dusty
  4. confuse
  5. blur
  6. dirty
  7. slimy
  8. murky
Adjective
  • Despite thriving in shallow, weedy, mucky areas, snakeheads do not gravitate to decaying forage.
    — Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 25 June 2026
  • When Mom spoke, her voice came out thick and mucky.
    — Kate Crane, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026
Definition of mucky
Adjective
  • In science, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, yet in turbid water, absence of observation becomes its own kind of uncertainty.
    — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
  • Why does Mitch find the view beautiful, though the water is turbid and he is enveloped in the scent of incense and candles?
    — Katie Kitamura, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025
Definition of turbid
Adjective
  • All 182 guest rooms were given a fresh coat of dusty rose paint, new custom carpet, furniture and upgraded bathrooms.
    — Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • At the same time, her eyes were free of the ultimate Millennial marker, winged liner, and colored with a melting pot of brown, bronze and dusty gray shadow, visible in her waterline, too.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 2 July 2026
Definition of dusty
Verb
  • That is important because a boxy robotaxi that can drive both ways may confuse pedestrians, cyclists or other drivers.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • One of the biggest mistakes students make is confusing a loan approval with an affordability recommendation.
    — Scott White, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of confuse
Verb
  • As Americans live longer and spend more years managing chronic illness, cognitive decline and complex healthcare needs, the traditional boundaries between estate planning, financial planning and healthcare planning are beginning to blur.
    — John Samuels, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • Coleman, himself a musician, has intentionally blurred the lines between brewing and performance.
    — J.M. Banks, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2026
Definition of blur
Verb
  • The spoon even comes with measuring lines for a teaspoon and tablespoon, saving you from having to dirty another utensil.
    — Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 26 June 2026
  • But as filming continued, Pidgeon appeared to dirty her butter blond with caramel and chocolate shades similar to Bessette-Kennedy’s, thanks to stylist Kari Hill.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026
Definition of dirty
Adjective
  • That essence is slimy, stinky and unrelenting, as reflected in the mass of algae that infests the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
    — Maureen Dowd, Mercury News, 23 June 2026
  • The threat is the slimy Yeerks, who can take control of people’s bodies — an ability that gives the show a particular form of tension.
    — Skyler Trepel, Entertainment Weekly, 20 June 2026
Definition of slimy
Adjective
  • More than a year later, the origin of the document remains murky.
    — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026
  • By the time the game ended, Sasaki’s three-inning start seemed like a murky nightmare the Dodgers awoke from in a sweat.
    — Liana Handler Follow, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Definition of murky

Browse Nearby Words

muddling
muddy
muddying
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on muddy

Nglish: Translation of muddy for Spanish Speakers

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