murky

American  

[mur-kee] / ˈmɜr ki /

Sometimes mirky

adjective

murkier, murkiest

1. dark, gloomy, and cheerless.

   Antonyms:

   cheery, bright

2. obscure or thick with mist, haze, etc., as the air.

   Synonyms:

   opaque, obscure, indefinite, hazy, confusing, hazy, misty, lowering, cloudy

   Antonyms:

   clear

3. (of liquid) not clear; cloudy with or as if with sediment.

   Antonyms:

   transparent, pellucid, limpid, clear

4. not clearly expressed; vague; unclear; confused.

   a murky statement.

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murky British  

/ ˈmɜːkɪ /

adjective

1. gloomy or dark

2. cloudy or impenetrable as with smoke or fog

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Related Words

See dark.

Other Word Forms

• murkily adverb
• murkiness noun

Etymology

Origin of murky

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English mirky; murk, -y ¹

Example Sentences

The authorities were yet to comment on the incident or give a toll several hours after the incident, about which much remains murky.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

The purpose of their visit and the exact circumstances of their abduction remain murky.

From BBC • Mar. 1, 2026

In a somewhat murky turn of events, OpenAI quickly then announced that it had struck a new relationship with the U.S. government to deploy the company’s models for classified uses.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 1, 2026

Addis’ bill expands the number of education technology companies that fall under the state’s student privacy laws, but the language is murky when it comes to apps or online services used outside of class.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 22, 2026

Alexander slid off his wolf and stepped delicately through the murky puddle.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• cloudy
• dark
• dim
• dirty
• dismal
• dreary
• foggy
• fuzzy
• misty
• muddy
• nebulous
• stormy