muddy

American  

[muhd-ee] / ˈmʌd i /

adjective

muddier, muddiest

1. abounding in or covered with mud.

2. not clear or pure.

   muddy colors.

3. cloudy with sediment.

   muddy coffee.

4. dull, as the complexion.

5. not clear mentally.

6. obscure or vague, as thought, expression, or literary style.

7. Horse Racing. denoting the condition of a track after a heavy, continuous rainfall has ceased and been completely absorbed into the surface, leaving it the consistency of thick mud.

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verb (used with object)

muddied, muddying

1. to make muddy; soil with mud.

2. to make turbid.

3. to cause to be confused or obscure.

verb (used without object)

muddied, muddying

1. to become muddy.

muddy British  

/ ˈmʌdɪ /

adjective

1. covered or filled with mud

2. not clear or bright

   muddy colours

3. cloudy

   a muddy liquid

4. (esp of thoughts) confused or vague

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verb

1. to become or cause to become muddy

Other Word Forms

• muddily adverb
• muddiness noun
• unmuddied adjective
• unmuddy adjective

Etymology

Origin of muddy

First recorded in 1375–1425, muddy is from the late Middle English word muddi. See mud, -y ¹

Example Sentences

No one liked humans, not even the half-brained toads who lived in the muddy ditch along the road.

From Literature

The group also claimed responsibility for attacks that never happened, further muddying the water.

From The Wall Street Journal

“I think folks in Anaheim think that Anaheim is doing their fair share of developing housing. I don’t want to muddy the concept by saying Anaheim is saying, ‘We don’t need any more housing.

From Los Angeles Times

The liquid in the glass beaker on the kitchen stove was a muddy, sullen black.

From Literature

“These kinds of comments muddy the water in our strategy,” Thompson added.

From Barron's

Related Words

• dirty
• dull
• filthy
• flat
• gloomy
• marshy
• sloppy
• sodden
• soggy
• swampy