mug 1 of 2

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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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
Seasonal items, such as Christmas decor or Easter eggs and bunnies, are popular along with a wide variety of plates, mugs, figurines and garden pottery. Janice Phelan, Kansas City Star, 26 Feb. 2026 If mornings revolve around coffee, carve out a small beverage station with mugs, beans, and your machine in one tidy area. Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2026 The mugs are great and an easy way to add some interest to your kitchenware. Heather Bien, Martha Stewart, 25 Feb. 2026 The six friends gathered there for a second night in a row, this time bringing warm mugs of hot chocolate with Bailey's Irish Cream. Antonia Noori Farzan, The Providence Journal, 25 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mug
Noun
  • Two league titles, three Taca de Portugal cups, and three Portuguese Super Cups.
    Jack Lang, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
  • The headset’s microphone can be either a traditional boom microphone positioned close to the mouth or an array of microphones located farther away on the ear cups incorporating beamforming to isolate the wearer’s voice from any background noise.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 26 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • In a season 3 teaser, Peter saves Suraj Sharma's Jay Batra from some thugs at a soccer stadium.
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Feb. 2026
  • Foucauld had later left the army to become a Trappist monk and had established himself as a missionary in Tamanrasset, Algeria, in the middle of the Sahara Desert; he was killed there by local thugs in 1916.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Blood was streaked across the man’s pale face, and a section of his right temple was missing.
    Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
  • Bill Clinton was photographed on a plane seated alongside a woman, whose face is redacted, with his arm around her.
    Stephen Groves, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The seed emerges from within the boy, who wakes to find it in his mouth—not a date stone, but a polished walnut kernel.
    Anel Rakhimzhanova, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
  • Do your best to avoid letting your mouth get ahead of your mind.
    Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Despite having her arms almost permanently crossed and a scowl on her face, Ivy eventually starts to warm up, especially to her cheerful, horny-as-a-chihuahua cabin-mate Ella (Ruby Stokes, recently seen in Bridgerton and The Burning Girls).
    Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
  • His fierce disposition in competition — the scowl, the pumping of fists and the guttural yells after big plays — came in stark contrast to his off-court good nature and broad grins.
    Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Heading into the 2026 election cycle, predicting a Republican candidate winning the California governorship would have seemed like a sucker’s bet in the heavily Democratic state.
    David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 27 Feb. 2026
  • These forces—economic uncertainty, political division, and toxic algorithms—work in a vicious cycle to try and tell us that empathy is weakness… that kindness is gullibility… that sincerity is for suckers.
    DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Williams knocked knees late in the fourth quarter against Houston and immediately grimaced, but didn’t show any effects after posting 20 points and nine rebounds in 29 minutes.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 21 Feb. 2026
  • Fully aware of how costly the mistake was, Glenn couldn’t hide her disappointment immediately after hitting her final pose, grimacing and trying to hold back her emotions.
    Alice Park, Time, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The cards were photographed on top of a police cruiser as evidence and then returned to the store.
    Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
  • This isn’t some behind-the-scenes thing that somebody snuck [in and photographed] from the set.
    James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 3 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mug. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.

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