murky

play

adjective \ˈmər-kē\

Definition of murky

murkier

;

murkiest

1 : characterized by a heavy dimness or obscurity caused by or like that caused by overhanging fog or smoke the murky bottom of the lake
2 : characterized by thickness and heaviness of air : foggy, misty rain poured down from murky skies — Newsweek
3 : darkly vague or obscure murky official rhetoric He offered a murky explanation.

murkily

play \-kə-lē\ adverb

murkiness

play \-kē-nəs\ noun

See murky defined for English-language learners

See murky defined for kids

Examples of murky in a Sentence

She peered into one of the church's murky chapels.
a politician with a murky past

Recent Examples of murky from the Web

The details of how any change in the federal health law rules would play out in various states and in each health policy are still murky; the GOP Senate bill is still in draft form, and a lot will be left up to the state.

— alexandra olgin, Kaiser Health News, "Parents Of Ill Children Worry About Return Of ‘Lifetime Limits’ In GOP Health Bill", 6 July 2017
If grunge prized murky guitar textures, pounding drums and lumbering bass lines with attitudinally angsty shouting, other bands were making slightly more sensitive music.

— john adamian, courant.com, "Third Eye Blind At Oakdale Theatre", 21 June 2017
Hong Kong proposes overhaul of troubled second exchange Similar markets in London, New York dogged by poor returns Hong Kong’s exchange operator is putting a spotlight on one of the murkiest corners of global finance: small-company stock venues.

— benjamin robertson, Bloomberg.com, "Small-Caps Losing 90% in Hong Kong Highlight Global Market Flaws", 19 June 2017
As is often the case with Bezos’ initiatives, his goals and endgame remain murky.

— michael hiltzik, chicagotribune.com, "Will Amazon change the food business — or will the food business change Amazon?", 19 June 2017
The calculation, based on a 22-year retirement, was just released by HealthView Services, a firm that provides health care data and software to financial advisers trying to help clients look into the murky future of retirement health costs.

— gail marksjarvis, Twin Cities, "On the Money: Budgeting for retirement? Plan on spending an eye-popping amount on health care", 18 June 2017
The best chance for showers will be in the morning through midday with highs in the upper 70s to near 80 degrees. Father’s Day will start off murky with fog and overcast skies.

— fox61 weather team, courant.com, "Mostly Cloudy With A Chance For Showers Saturday", 17 June 2017
But some high-profile cases of DACA holders being detained — and in at least one case deported — combined with the deportations of families of DACA recipients and others, had made the administration's position on DACA murky.

— patricia guadalupe, NBC News, "Trump Administration: Dreamers Can Stay, Undocumented Parents Must Go", 16 June 2017
Water quality is a little murky with 3 feet of visibility.

— colorado parks & wildlife, The Denver Post, "Colorado fishing report for week of June 11, 2017", 11 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'murky'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of murky

14th century

MURKY Defined for English Language Learners

murky

play

adjective

Definition of murky for English Language Learners

: very dark or foggy
of a liquid : not clear
: not clearly expressed or understood

MURKY Defined for Kids

murky

play

adjective \ˈmər-kē\

Definition of murky for Students

murkier

;

murkiest

1 : very dark or foggy murky skies
2 : cloudy 2 murky water
3 : not clearly expressed or understood The details were murky and vague. — Lois Lowry, The Giver