muck-up

American

[muhk-uhp] / ˈmʌkˌʌp /

noun

Informal.

a bungled or disordered situation; foul-up.

muck up British

verb

(tr) to ruin or spoil; make a mess of
(intr) to misbehave

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

muck up Idioms

Bungle, damage, make a mess of, as in Don't let him write the review; he's sure to muck it up. This idiom alludes to the verb muck in the sense of “spread manure on.” [Early 1900s] For a synonym, see foul up.

Etymology

Origin of muck-up

First recorded in 1925–30; noun use of verb phrase muck up

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Halo cockpits have drawn ire from some motorsports fans because of how it can muck up the aesthetics.

From The Verge • Jul. 4, 2022

Because Butler is a weak 3-point shooter, Boston will crowd the paint and muck up Miami’s spacing.

From New York Times • May 17, 2022

Like dandelions, the Jorō spider appears to fall under the category of "nice" invasive species, that do not seem to muck up the existing ecosystem too much.

From Salon • Mar. 10, 2022

Taxes are a complicating factor that can muck up a simplification plan.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 8, 2021

Too damn much rain would muck up the roads.

From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023