1
as in darkened
being without light or without much light
I didn't like walking around the murky campground without a flashlight
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dark
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
the murky shadows of the cemetery
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3
as in hazy
filled with or dimmed by fine particles (as of dust or water) in suspension
skies made murky from the smoke of forest fires that were many miles to the west
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4
as in ambiguous
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning
a murky reply to a question about his intentions
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5
as in vague
not seen or understood clearly
a gubernatorial candidate with a murky position on the hot-button issue of capital punishment
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of murky
The lack of clarity about IPRoyal’s proxy network coverage, as well as its murky privacy policy, leaves it behind in those two key categories.
—
Justyn Newman, PC Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
Mueller’s inability to get to the bottom of the murk did not make the murk any less murky.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
Their feelings are murky and nameless.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2026
The Hawaii Department of Health advises people to avoid swimming, wading, or other water contact when the water looks brown, murky or cloudy.
—Jen Murphy, Outside, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for murky
Justyn Newman, PC Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
Mueller’s inability to get to the bottom of the murk did not make the murk any less murky.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
Their feelings are murky and nameless.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2026
The Hawaii Department of Health advises people to avoid swimming, wading, or other water contact when the water looks brown, murky or cloudy.
—Jen Murphy, Outside, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for murky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for murky
Adjective
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In the darkened foyer, Ember contemplated this unassuming bit of paper, momentarily paralyzed by a mixture of dread and excitement stirred together, an overpowering sensation that oozed from the crown of her head, down the length of her body, then hardened, like a soft golden resin becoming solid.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
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As scientists often find darkened teeth in ancient burials, other factors can contribute to a black appearance, notably the chewing of betel leaves.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
On the last night that anybody else reportedly saw Nancy, that camera caught a glimpse of a person clad in dark clothes, wearing gloves and a black balaclava, unidentifiable, standing at the threshold.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
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Not only did that article form the basis of the film, but Lumet actually took the note and cast Pacino in the role of that dark, thin fellow.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In a break from decades of tradition, the band walked onto the stage in total darkness, visible to the crowd only in hazy silhouette.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
1 Apr. 2026
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Once you're set up, use your phone to scan the skies for faint hazy glows.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Event-betting markets flourish in ambiguous or unevenly-enforced legal environments.—
Kelli María Korducki,
thehustle.co,
3 Apr. 2026
-
War is about politics—and therefore, objectives, which are particularly political, are often ambiguous and subject to change.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The attack came hours after Saree signaled in a vague statement Friday that the rebels would join the war.—
Samy Magdy,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
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These designations are, first and foremost, vague.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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What’s great about Grayson’s story is that things were looking pretty bleak before the Bananas rolled into town about a decade ago.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
28 Mar. 2026
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The future looks bleak for non-power conferences and uncertain for Big East, Big 12 and ACC, too.—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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To the left of Castor and Pollux lies the constellation Cancer, the crab, the core of which plays host to the 100-strong stellar population of the Beehive Cluster (M44), which is visible as a small, misty patch of light on moonless nights.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
19 Mar. 2026
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Other images similarly mix the romantic and the mundane, with glamorous students in front of kitschy backdrops of misty woodlands or positioned between towering candelabras.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The three-page letter is somewhat cryptic.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
26 Mar. 2026
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The lyrics are often cryptic and clipped, but bear evidence of turbulence and tumult.—
Colin Joyce,
Pitchfork,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Murky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/murky. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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