Word: Muddy

Pronunciation

/ˈmʌdi/

Definitions

• Adjective: Covered or smeared with mud; dirty and messy due to the presence of mud. For example: “The children’s shoes were muddy after playing in the rain.”

  • Also used metaphorically to describe something unclear or confusing, like “The details of the case are quite muddy, making it hard to draw a conclusion.”

• Verb: (informal) To make something dirty or unclear with or as if with mud. For example: “Heavy rains have muddied the river water.”

Phrases

• “Muddy the waters”: To complicate a situation or make it more confusing.
• “Through the mud and the muck”: Referring to overcoming difficult or challenging situations.

Example Sentences

• Adjective: “After the storm, the hiking trail was so muddy that we had to turn back.”

  • Metaphorical use: “His vague answers only served to muddy the issue further.”

• Verb: “The dog loves to play outside but often muddies the carpet when he comes back inside.”

Synonyms

• Dirty
• Soiled
• Sludgy
• Clayey
• Murky (for the metaphorical sense)
• Obscure
• Confused
• Cloudy