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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dusty
not clean
we were all muddy after playing outside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to dirty
to make dirty
forgot to take off our shoes and accidentally muddied the kitchen floor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Boultier expresses similar views and suggests steering clear of muddy pastels like dusty lilac or pale mint green.
—Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 26 Jan. 2026
Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 9 Feb. 2026
Economists warned that the overall economic picture remains muddied, including by statistical quirks and the aftereffects of the government shutdown this past fall, which disrupted the data that feeds into CPI.
—Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for muddy
Adjective
If anything, the environment has gotten muddier for CEOs looking to do big deals, with disruption in Europe and trade continuing.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Boultier expresses similar views and suggests steering clear of muddy pastels like dusty lilac or pale mint green.
—Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
Fast-forward to Jim Cramer's Sunday column — about 1½ weeks later and a lot of investor selling later — the Microsoft situation remains muddied.
—Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 9 Feb. 2026
Economists warned that the overall economic picture remains muddied, including by statistical quirks and the aftereffects of the government shutdown this past fall, which disrupted the data that feeds into CPI.
—Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for muddy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muddy
Adjective
-
But The Abandons’s read on womanhood is like that dismembered mayor — bloody, mucky, and missing essential pieces.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
5 Dec. 2025
-
There are also mucky paw prints across the white wall.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Unlike regions such as southeast Florida or southern California, New York’s nearshore waters are frequently turbid and moderately rough, limiting the visibility of sharks from the air.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
-
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
Adjective
-
This one, in a dusty olive green, has a high pile texture and subtle geometric design for the right amount of visual interest.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Mattresses and questionably clean bedding were dredged up, dusty couches cleared of detritus.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The citizens of Texas are confusing hospitality for complacency.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
-
To give my permission to be sad, to be angry, to be confused.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
From time to time, her vision would blur.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The clip shows a dark-haired man whose face is blurred, though a goatee is somewhat visible.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
13 Feb. 2026
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,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The adventurous actress dirties up her frock and face to play the village pariah, who reeks of fish and would be no man’s idea of a suitable wife, except perhaps the one-eyed bum who sleeps in the town square.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
If the oatmeal changes color, smells off, or develops a slimy texture, discard it.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Simply check for anything slimy or mushy, and treat it accordingly.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But in the murky intermediate regime, the full quantum complexity of each electron plays a role, and the problem is classically intractable.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
4 Feb. 2026
-
There were a lot of murky secrets in the Victorian world.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Muddy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muddy. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
