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

He had found the beasts swaying anxiously in the green grass that still surrounded the muddy drinking pool.

From Literature

Pa didn’t have a chance to wave back, ’cause he twirled his way straight down along a big river that was so muddy, it had to be the Mississipp.

From Literature

A wave of sadness, muddy green and dark brown, rolled through him.

From Literature

He shows us his makeshift lab, down a muddy track.

From BBC

These tracks were formed on the muddy edge of a lagoon around 170 million years ago and have puzzled scientists for decades.

From Science Daily

Related Words

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