murky
Americanadjective
-
gloomy or dark
-
cloudy or impenetrable as with smoke or fog
Related Words
See dark.
Other Word Forms
- murkily adverb
- murkiness noun
Etymology
Origin of murky
Explanation
Something that's murky is dim, gloomy or hard to see through clearly. Think of the dark fog around a haunted house or the cloudy, muddy water in a swamp. Rarely used before the 17th century, this adjective came about by adding a "y" to the word murk. Murk itself evolved from myrkr, a Norse word for "darkness.” Things that are murky are unclear; that goes for murky, sediment-filled lakes, shady business deals, and arguments that don't seem to make any sense.
Vocabulary lists containing murky
The Diary of Anne Frank
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"The Ravine," Vocabulary from the short story
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List 10
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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.
Another reason: Dealers increase implied volatility more than is merited to provide themselves with a margin of safety for having to make a market amid murky conditions.
From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026
“Isom Dart Was” presents a murky, joyous take on dub music.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
The drier weather is likely to last into the weekend and while the mornings could start a little cloudy and murky, there should still be a lot of sunshine developing.
From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026
The sheer volume of aircraft, missiles and drones makes for a historically murky combination in the sky.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026
His hands had turned to paws and his skin was wet fur of the same color as the murky water.
From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
