mug

1 of 3

noun

Synonyms of mugnext
1
: a cylindrical drinking cup
2
a
: the face or mouth of a person
b
c
3
a chiefly British
(1)
(2)
: a person easily deceived
b
: punk, thug
mugful noun

mug

2 of 3

verb (1)

mugged; mugging

intransitive verb

: to pose or make faces especially to attract attention or for a camera

mug

3 of 3

verb (2)

mugged; mugging

transitive verb

1
: to assault usually with intent to rob
2
: to attack suddenly
got mugged in the press by his colleagues
muggee noun

Examples of mug in a Sentence

Noun a collection of coffee mugs He drank a mug of coffee. They're taking you for a mug. Verb (1) every time their picture was snapped, both children mugged by sticking out their tongues or scrunching up their faces mugging captured criminals for the police records
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Your mug shot is going to be all over the local news. Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026 Wall panels lower to become a front porch, a place to watch the morning fog burn off and sip coffee—from a Snow Peak titanium mug, brewed in a Snow Peak collapsible coffee drip, of course. Naomi Tomky, Outside, 18 Mar. 2026 In Hollywood, longevity is a function of other peoples’ willingness to put up with having to look at your mug every day, and the faces that are cherished most tend to be drawn in pen and ink. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 18 Mar. 2026 In the mug shots, most suspects appear well past 50. Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 18 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mug

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

Verb (2)

probably from earlier mug to strike in the face, perhaps from mug entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1664, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

1856, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Verb (2)

circa 1864, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mug was in 1664

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mug. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

mug

1 of 3 noun
1
: a usually large drinking cup with a handle
2
: the face or mouth of a person
3

mug

2 of 3 verb
mugged; mugging
1
: to make faces especially to attract attention : grimace
2

mug

3 of 3 verb
mugged; mugging
: to assault especially with the intention of robbing
mugger noun

Legal Definition

mug

transitive verb
mugged; mugging
: to assault (an individual) usually with intent to rob

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