1
as in dirt
foul matter that mars the purity or cleanliness of something
spattered with muck from the pigpen
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of muck
Emma Alpern, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
So when the Clark County fire department began to familiarize itself with the tunnel network to conduct emergency rescue drills at the end of 2024, the question of how to deal with the muck was part of the planning process, according to planning documents reviewed by Fortune.
—Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 12 Nov. 2025
Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Chores follow: mucking the chicken coop and turtle cages, raking the backyard, organizing tools in the workshop.
—Chandler Fritz, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for muck
Noun
In the muck and gore of the First World War, a dysfunctional group of soldiers is sent into no-man’s land to recover the body of a fallen angel.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
So when the Clark County fire department began to familiarize itself with the tunnel network to conduct emergency rescue drills at the end of 2024, the question of how to deal with the muck was part of the planning process, according to planning documents reviewed by Fortune.
—Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 12 Nov. 2025
Verb
The Tigers’ offense isn’t going to scare Georgia, but the Auburn defense is allowing 16.4 points per game and could muck this game up.
—Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Chores follow: mucking the chicken coop and turtle cages, raking the backyard, organizing tools in the workshop.
—Chandler Fritz, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for muck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muck
Noun
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Start by removing the door from the cabinet box and cleaning the surface with hot, soapy water and a soft cloth to remove grease, dirt, and dust.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Grout is very porous and, because of the indent between tiles, grout can easily collect dirt, food particles, and mold, which will discolor the grout over time.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Then, in February, flooding and mudslides coated his entire street in mud, even trapping an SUV.—
Lauren Pozen,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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Vestibules and Mudrooms With all the mud, coats, and boots tracking in and out of homes in winter, vestibules and mudrooms become coveted rooms for buyers.—
Shagun Khare,
The Spruce,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Safety and health worries have long surrounded landfills in many cities and towns in the Philippines, especially ones near poor communities whose residents scavenge for junk and leftover food in the garbage heaps, the AP points out.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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His wife’s body was discovered by a man who was working on the property to clear out junk ahead of the property’s sale.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Installed on the former garbage dump bounded by Sunset, Lewis, Western and Glen Flora avenues, there are now 20,000 solar panels.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
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Rescuers retrieved eight people alive and were searching for the missing still trapped after a huge mound of garbage and debris collapsed on them in the village of Binaliw in Cebu city, police said.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This mixture attacks stains a bit stronger than the water solution.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
11 Jan. 2026
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While new doors can cost anywhere from several hundred to thousands of dollars, staining, painting, and weather stripping can be done for under $150, according to O'Reilly.—
Shagun Khare,
The Spruce,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The farmers also pitched in with efforts of their own, including adjusting fertilizer methods, controlling soil erosion and increasing on-site water retention.—
Amy Green,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
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Another key area involves developing artificial lunar and Martian soil simulants to test rover traction and propulsion systems.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Goat cheese with prosciutto and arugula is my pairing of choice.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
12 Jan. 2026
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High-protein mac and cheese like Goodles is both nutritious and delicious.—
Andrea Strong,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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That rule is nonsense — especially with two applicants who pretty clearly spend most of their time in Tallahassee, and two who work in Lakeland.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 Jan. 2026
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But the residency rule is nonsense.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Muck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muck. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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