1
as in cups
a round vessel equipped with a handle and designed for drinking
a coffee mug
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in thugs
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
just a bunch of mugs with no respect for anyone, not even themselves
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in faces
the front part of the head
she joked about not having to see his ugly mug anymore
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
5
as in scowls
a twisting of the facial features in disgust or disapproval
an involuntary mug at the revolting sight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in suckers
chiefly British
one who is easily deceived or cheated
the cardsharp was always on the lookout for a new mug
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in idiots
chiefly British
a stupid person
what kind of mug goes out in the rain without his brolly or a mackintosh?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in grimaces
to distort one's face
every time their picture was snapped, both children mugged by sticking out their tongues or scrunching up their faces
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in photographs
to take a photograph of
mugging captured criminals for the police records
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 mugs
Ryan Brennan
may 11, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
Once his fans found out, 200 more mugs were produced with the new slogan on one side and a picture of King Juan Carlos on the other.
—Matt Slater, New York Times, 9 May 2026
The brand’s on-the-go drinkware stands up to all kinds of adventures—with travel mugs and bottles that have become favorites among commuters, frequent fliers, and road-trip enthusiasts alike.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 May 2026
Constable and Turner remain central to British identity today, their paintings reproduced on coffee mugs and fridge magnets; Church’s position in American culture is more precarious.
—Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Davis’ is just one of hundreds of 8647 products for sale online, ranging from T-shirts and hats to stickers and mugs, available across major e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and Etsy.
—Pilar Melendez, NBC news, 1 May 2026
Traditional organization says all your mugs go together, all your utensils go together and all your appliances live in one corner.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 May 2026
Consider open shelving for go-to plates, bowls and mugs.
—Kansas City Star, 1 May 2026
Pick up last-minute gifts including a wide range of t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, wine tumblers, coffee mugs, umbrellas, sunglasses and more.
—Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2026
Noun
Avoid using plastic coffee cups and swap with glass, stainless steel or ceramic mugs.
—Ryan Brennan
may 11, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
Once his fans found out, 200 more mugs were produced with the new slogan on one side and a picture of King Juan Carlos on the other.
—Matt Slater, New York Times, 9 May 2026
The brand’s on-the-go drinkware stands up to all kinds of adventures—with travel mugs and bottles that have become favorites among commuters, frequent fliers, and road-trip enthusiasts alike.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 May 2026
Constable and Turner remain central to British identity today, their paintings reproduced on coffee mugs and fridge magnets; Church’s position in American culture is more precarious.
—Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Davis’ is just one of hundreds of 8647 products for sale online, ranging from T-shirts and hats to stickers and mugs, available across major e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and Etsy.
—Pilar Melendez, NBC news, 1 May 2026
Traditional organization says all your mugs go together, all your utensils go together and all your appliances live in one corner.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 May 2026
Consider open shelving for go-to plates, bowls and mugs.
—Kansas City Star, 1 May 2026
Pick up last-minute gifts including a wide range of t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, wine tumblers, coffee mugs, umbrellas, sunglasses and more.
—Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
The video never provides an answer for this question, even as Kennedy plays pickleball, then mugs for the camera, then soaks in a Jacuzzi with a glass of milk, all while still in jeans.
—Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mugs
Noun
-
Pour in an additional 4 cups water (chicken should be covered; if not, add more water).—
Rebecca Firkser,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 May 2026
-
The dining room table, where the sisters wrote, is strewn with manuscripts, quill pens and tea cups; a bonnet and shawl bedeck a chair in the small kitchen.—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
The masked thugs deposit a tearful middle-aged woman in front of Bass, Newsom, and Harris.—
Conor Friedersdorf,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
-
White thugs destroyed it in the 1921 Race Massacre.—
Jasmine Desiree,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Importantly, the 120 faces were equally balanced across ethnicities and genders, with 30 Asian faces, 30 White, 30 Black, and 30 Latinx.—
Ben Ambridge,
JSTOR Daily,
15 May 2026
-
Their faces appeared on punching bags and lawn signs.—
David Ingram,
NBC news,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The fish have been found in the gills and cloacal openings of whale sharks and the mouths of lemon sharks.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
11 May 2026
-
The next time Draymond Green — who wasn’t half the basketball player that Charles Barkley was — smart-mouths Barkley on television, Sir Charles should remind everybody of the time Green was enough of a chucklehead to cost the Warriors one more title.—
Mike Lupica,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
One of the series’ most creative elements is the variety of scowls Graham deploys while arguing with Hezekiah, Mary, or his younger brother, Treacle (James Nelson-Joyce), a pragmatic family man who represents everything Sugar’s life could have been if he weren’t filled with so much self-loathing.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
That makes students who play by the rules feel like suckers.—
Rose Horowitch,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
-
But the juries, returning for the semis after a four-year absence, are still suckers for this kind of old-school showboating.—
Jon O'Brien,
Vulture,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
All of those are better options than a public rest stop where a bunch of other idiots are just trying to stretch their legs and empty their bladders.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Freedom from screech No one wants to sit near idiots who just want to scream about their love of their team and provoke fans into fights, like the one Monday between Yankees and Rangers fans at Globe Life Field.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Chee grimaces in pain from his ghost sickness wounds, and Manuelito notices.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mugs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mugs. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
