turbid

adjective

tur·bid ˈtər-bəd

Synonyms of turbid next

: thick or opaque with or as if with roiled sediment

a turbid stream

: heavy with smoke or mist

: deficient in clarity or purity : foul, muddy

turbid depths of degradation and misery—

C. I. Glicksberg

: characterized by or producing obscurity (as of mind or emotions)

an emotionally turbid response

turbidity

ˌtər-ˈbi-də-tē

noun

turbidly

ˈtər-bəd-lē

adverb

turbidness noun

Did you know?

Turbid and turgid (which means "swollen or distended" or "overblown, pompous, or bombastic") are frequently mistaken for one another, and it's no wonder. Not only do the two words differ by only a letter, they are often used in contexts where either word could fit. For example, a flooded stream can be simultaneously cloudy and swollen, and badly written prose might be both unclear and grandiloquent. Nevertheless, the distinction between these two words, however fine, is an important one for conveying exact shades of meaning, so it's a good idea to keep them straight. Turbid, like its relative turbulent, comes ultimately from the Latin noun turba, meaning "confusion" or "crowd."

Example Sentences

the pond water became turbid from our swimming and splashing

Recent Examples on the Web The satellite imagery also reveals darker material flowing out into the Gulf from land — turbid discharges from flooding caused by storm surges and overflowing rivers. —

Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 30 Sep. 2022 The semi-turbid waters of Caney Creek gurgled down from a nearby hillside. —

Rick Childress, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2022 The water is also more turbid, which prevents growing phytoplankton from receiving enough light. —

Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 30 Jan. 2010 The humans cannot see the fish through the turbid water. —

Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 1 May 2012 Water service was cut to more than 760,000 customers — two thirds of the total on the island — because of turbid water at filtration plants or lack of power, officials said. —

DÁnica Coto, ajc, 20 Sep. 2022 Water service was cut to more than 837,000 customers – two-thirds of the total on the island – because of turbid water at filtration plants or lack of power, officials said. —

Maricarmen Rivera Sanchez And Dánica Coto, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Sep. 2022 More than 837,000 customers had their water service cut because of turbid water at filtration plants or lack of power, according to authorities. —

Landon Mion, Fox News, 20 Sep. 2022 Water service was cut to more than 837,000 customers — two-thirds of the total on the island — because of turbid water at filtration plants or lack of power, officials said. —

Joe Mario Pedersen, Orlando Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2022 See More

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