muck up

verb

Definition of muck upnext
as in to fumble
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way I swear, she mucks up everything she tries

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 up Sure, all this meddling does muck up the pacing somewhat, but who cares? — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 27 Apr. 2026 Teams continue to sag off Hart in the half court to try to muck up New York’s offense. — James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026 Well, the first and third mucked up their stories with some overly contrived lore about cults and gods, and the fourth was an experiment for the formula that didn’t quite work. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2026 At least not Will Welch, GQ’s longstanding editor-in-chief and global editorial director, who was absolutely zen about the threat of an atmospheric river mucking up the mag’s Men of the Year celebration last night. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 14 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for muck up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muck up
  1. fumble
  2. blow
  3. screw up
  4. foul up
  5. ruin
  6. boot
Verb
  • But when Kansas fumbled the snap on a punt, resulting in a safety, Kansas State was able to take an 18-17 lead to the locker room.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Stockton, who also threw two interceptions, fumbled on a run from the Auburn 46.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of fumble
Verb
  • Ocean iron fertilization grew from the idea that iron-rich dust blown across the oceans during past ice ages fed blooms of phytoplankton, helping to lower atmospheric CO₂.
    — Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • But head coach Ben Johnson isn't going to be happy that his team nearly blew a 24-point lead with just over 12 minutes to go.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of blow
Verb
  • Dallas is going to be better, but the Cowboys always screw up.
    — Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2026
  • That doesn’t mean the Yankees screwed up in their process by trading for Stanton.
    — Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of screw up
Verb
  • Then police closed that, too — at midafternoon Tuesday after a report of a suspicious package — fouling up traffic for New Yorkers even more.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
  • In the end, though, neither an explosion nor a giant spill of fluid that could foul up waterways and the ocean occurred.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
Definition of foul up
Verb
  • Artificial, though, ends with a scene that convincingly conveys the extent to which AI will ruin all our lives.
    — Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The Civic, before it was smashed and ruined, had been a private world, an extension of myself.
    — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of ruin
Verb
  • This came just a few short months after he was arrested on charges of OWI in Wisconsin back in July, and happened the same day he was booted from the Korn Ferry qualifier for signing an incorrect scorecard.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The Eagles lost in heartbreaking fashion to Jacksonville in the final seconds as Cam Little booted a 57-yard field goal to hand the Birds their third straight loss.
    — Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of boot

Browse Nearby Words

mucks up
muck up
mucky
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Cite this Entry

“Muck up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muck%20up. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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