1
as in dirt
foul matter that mars the purity or cleanliness of something
spattered with muck from the pigpen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in junk
that which is of low quality or worth
what's this muck that you've been watching on TV, anyway?
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in garbage
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense
there's some solid substance in this book, but the reader has to trudge through a lot of muck to get to it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to stain
to make dirty
you can't work in the garden and not expect to muck your clothes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of muck
Zach Harper, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025
Firefighting equipment is far more likely to get stuck or sink in the muck.
—Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2025
Kelly Bowman, CNN, 10 Oct. 2024
Drillers used mucking poles to vault between platforms because setting a boot in the muck was a risk.
—Hazlitt, 21 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for muck
Noun
The Clippers’ success lately isn’t just stemming from them making games ugly with their defense and slogging through the muck.
—Zach Harper, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025
Firefighting equipment is far more likely to get stuck or sink in the muck.
—Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
The calming, repetitive nature of grooming, the physical and distracting qualities of mucking stalls and the connection of walking alongside a horse while exercising them - each stride a step towards trust.
—Kelly Bowman, CNN, 10 Oct. 2024
Drillers used mucking poles to vault between platforms because setting a boot in the muck was a risk.
—Hazlitt, 21 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for muck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muck
Noun
-
Cat Construction Little Machines 5-Pack $10 $5 at Amazon Remember how kids love digging in the dirt?—
Katrina Cossey,
Parents,
1 May 2025
-
For myself, starting from a flat-footed stop in the dirt, that 60 came in about seven seconds.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Offensively, the Bucks can’t keep playing in mud while the Pacers are playing on a fastbreak runway.—
Brian Sampson,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
-
The other features walls and a wooden pyramid installation covered in yellow mud.—
Emily Wilson,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
As a result of these reentries, however, the amount of space junk burning up in the upper layers of the atmosphere is increasing, which worries some atmospheric scientists.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
14 Apr. 2025
-
What about that wily junk dealer, or the creepy cemetery?—
Kevin Purdy,
ArsTechnica,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Unlike a regular old garbage bag, these are leakproof and durable (and thus much harder for a squirrel to rip into, if given the chance).—
Sara Coughlin,
SELF,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Four 20-pound bags of hamburger buns and sandwich breads got hit with Stop Sales, sending 80 pounds of bread into the garbage.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
With a yellow rubber glove on her right hand, Heintzelman picks up her finished creations and puts them, one by one, back into egg cartons, with the toilet bowl prominently stained in the background.—
Brian Anthony Hernandez,
People.com,
14 Apr. 2025
-
If Bonhoeffer’s example is used to justify more far-right Christian violence in America, that would be another tragedy — and a cruel irony that would stain the legacy of a man who gave up everything to confront a tyrant.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Russia and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have launched intelligence missions right here on U.S. soil as the CCP has instigated an economic chokehold on South American countries through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and corruption.—
Tom Rogers,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Apr. 2025
-
For now, the researchers have left the ship in situ, partially covering it with original soil and squeezing wet sponges onto it to preserve moisture.—
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Sprinkle with cheese, cover, and cook 5 minutes longer until cheese has melted and rice is tender.—
Elizabeth Nelson,
Southern Living,
27 Apr. 2025
-
At Santa Ana’s new Le Hut Dinette, the latest project from San Juan Capistrano’s Heritage Barbecue, seven-day pastrami slides into gooey melty sandwiches and brisket goes into piles of chili cheese fries.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Faced with a phrase that has no inherent meaning, the AI Overview still makes a good-faith effort to answer the user's request and draw some plausible explanation out of troll-worthy nonsense.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
29 Apr. 2025
-
None of this ‘support the teams from your country in Europe’ nonsense.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Muck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muck. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share