mud

1 of 2

noun

1
: a slimy sticky mixture of solid material with a liquid and especially water
especially : soft wet earth
2
: abusive and malicious remarks or charges
political campaigners slinging mud at each other
3
: anathema sense 1a
usually used in the phrase one's name is mud
4
: a mixture of water, clay, and chemicals used in oil-well drilling and having various functions (such as lubrication and cooling of the bit and flushing of rock particles to the surface)

mud

2 of 2

verb

mudded; mudding

transitive verb

1
: to make muddy or turbid
2
: to treat or plaster with mud

Examples of mud in a Sentence

Noun He tracked mud into the house. The car was stuck in the mud.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The scenes in The Zone of Interest, showing her hiding apples in the mud, come from her first-person accounts. Livia Paccariè, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Mar. 2024 Let these winners clean up kibble, mud puddles, accidents, and more. Ella Field, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Mar. 2024 The weather conditions led to the game’s first goal when a routine back pass from Canadian defender Vanessa Giles simply stopped in the mud, allowing U.S. attacker Jaedyn Shaw to race around Giles and put a shot past keeper Kailen Sheridan, her club teammate with the San Diego Wave. Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 From the deliciously juicy blue crab with mud crab emulsion and black pepper jam, to six different preparations of 14-day aged duck, including roasted duck brain and crispy duck, nobody is going home hungry. Isabelle Kliger, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Native people and their allies didn't let the standing water and mud puddles stop them from gathering and sharing stories, concerns and prayers over the health of their lands and sacred sites. The Arizona Republic, 29 Feb. 2024 Great for an entryway, mud room, or dining table, the bench’s minimalist design will bring a touch of modernity. Gabriela Izquierdo, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2024 This mask uses detoxifying Mediterranean and Dead Sea mud to clear out pores and clarify while nourishing with aloe and jojoba oil, so the skin is not stripped of necessary moisture. Chaunie Brusie, Rn, Parents, 26 Feb. 2024 In the posts, the couple is seen ATV mud riding and having an impromptu photo shoot at their resort in Punta Cana. Natalia Senanayake, Peoplemag, 20 Feb. 2024
Verb
Integrated gaiters give above-ankle protection to keep slushy snow and mud out while the outer Gore-tex fabric makes the shoe waterproof and windproof, yet breathable. Laura Holt, Travel + Leisure, 16 Nov. 2023 Renee agreed, and then added some motherly intuition about the outdoorsy teen who loves to fish and to go mudding with his friends. Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 25 Oct. 2023 Runners were greeted with rain thick enough to obscure views, mud quick to soak through shoes and socks, and the red-and-golden hints in the alpine underbrush that fall is, in fact, nearly here. Iris Samuels, Anchorage Daily News, 27 Aug. 2023 Navigating technical terrain that can change from slick rock to loose dirt to mud over the course of a run requires a sense of groundedness in your feet, and the Speedgoat 5 delivers on that with a new-and-improved outsole that uses Vibram® Megagrip and Traction Lug technology for tacky traction. Outside Online, 25 Mar. 2022 Across from Eichhorn’s house, neighbors on lower ground saw water up to their car door handles, mud several feet deep and parts of the hillside collapsing onto the street. Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2023 The ground, not yet frozen, has turned to mud, sticking to uniforms and weapons and ensnaring vehicles, military, and civilian alike. Matthew Mpoke Bigg, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Nov. 2022 The ground, not yet frozen, has turned to mud, sticking to uniforms and weapons and ensnaring vehicles, military and civilian alike. Matthew Mpoke Bigg, New York Times, 27 Nov. 2022 Before the weather in Ukraine turns bitterly cold, the challenge for both sides is fall rain that turns fields and many roads to mud. Daniel Michaels, WSJ, 10 Nov. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mud.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English mudde, probably from Middle Low German

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mud was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near mud

Cite this Entry

“Mud.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mud. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mud

noun
ˈməd
: soft wet earth

More from Merriam-Webster on mud

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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