Definition of mugnext
1
as in cup
a round vessel equipped with a handle and designed for drinking a coffee mug

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2
3
as in face
the front part of the head she joked about not having to see his ugly mug anymore

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4
as in mouth
the opening through which food passes into the body of an animal keep your mug shut and listen up

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5
as in scowl
a twisting of the facial features in disgust or disapproval an involuntary mug at the revolting sight

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

6
7

mug

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to grimace
to distort one's face every time their picture was snapped, both children mugged by sticking out their tongues or scrunching up their faces

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2
as in to photograph
to take a photograph of mugging captured criminals for the police records

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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 mug
Noun
There are several vintage Bears jerseys and at least one mannequin in former Bears coach Mike Ditka's iconic sweater, cap, sunglasses, and mustache, holding a mug of beer on a table with a miniature Bears helmet and a cheese grater. Noel Brennan, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 Participate in the traditional beer mug-sliding contest and the stein-holding (Masskrugstemmen) competition. Caroline Ritzie, Cincinnati Enquirer, 26 Aug. 2026 Then York arranges a $140 encounter on a Sunday morning, and lands in a jail cell with a mug-shot that will never go away. Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 24 Aug. 2026 Jordan Elmore, owner of Smalls on Main, suggests looking for vintage mugs. Abbie Harrison, Martha Stewart, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mug
Noun
  • Flora’s professional experience this year will be more like a cup of coffee.
    Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • As September welcomes fall to New England, the kids are back in school, pumpkin spice is back in your cup, and soon the leaves will once again transform into a vibrant palette of oranges and reds.
    Catherine Messier, The Providence Journal, 11 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • On a cold night in November 2011, in a field outside Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine, a gang of thugs stormed a Soviet scientific research institute, beat and humiliated the staff and burned the place to the ground.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Kyle and his usual pair of special-forces thugs track down a suspiciously large plane (as in, big enough to fly across the Atlantic) and an equally suspicious flight manifest.
    Andy Andersen, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The story unfolds from there while Daisy brushes powder onto Martha’s face.
    Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Caught in the middle of the frenzied franchise war, Taggie O’Hara must find the courage to follow her heart, while those around her face the consequences of ambition, power and secrets that can no longer remain hidden.
    Denise Petski, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Speaking of the valve, drinking out of this with the valve in place does take a little extra effort, but this bottle can grow with your kids too; when the time comes, simply replace the sippy lid with one of Nalgene’s wide-mouth caps.
    Emily Farris, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Each summer, thousands of beluga whales migrate to the mouth of the Churchill River, to feed on small fish and nurse their young.
    The Week UK, TheWeek, 6 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Every once in a while, the goddess Athena (Zendaya) will appear at Odysseus’ side to judge his actions, mostly by offering a scowl of disapproval, the sort of face a wife makes when her husband loads the dishwasher wrong.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 15 July 2026
  • His scowl in training sessions was permanent.
    Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 1 June 2026
Noun
  • Daughter of a travel agent and a sucker for a challenge, Nina can’t resist the call to adventures everywhere from the Midwest to Antarctica.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Sep. 2026
  • DuBose questions the allegation that Fields’ sucker-punched his teammate.
    Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • God help us all if some idiot, some moron, ever put you in charge.
    Greg Evans, Deadline, 18 July 2026
  • Mantzoukas was willing to look like a maniac and a moron in equal measure.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 June 2026
Verb
  • His carefully coiffed side parting is as immaculate as his smile, something that distinguishes him from the rest of his party, whose members tend to grimace rather than grin.
    Esme Nicholson, NPR, 6 Sep. 2026
  • More people were wrapped around the block grimacing about not getting inside to support the local artists than made it inside.
    Caden Perry, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mug. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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