Synonyms of mug

mug 1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈməg 

1

as in cup

a round vessel equipped with a handle and designed for drinking

a coffee mug

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cup
• goblet
• beaker
• tankard
• stein
• chalice
• teacup
• demitasse
• noggin
• blackjack

2

as in thug

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

• thug
• villain
• gorilla
• pirate
• hood
• bandit
• criminal
• gangster
• assassin
• offender
• thief
• tough
• ruffian
• hooligan
• roughneck
• gangsta
• hoodlum
• goon
• gangbanger
• rowdy
• mobster
• bully
• plug-ugly
• perpetrator
• toughie
• toughy
• scoundrel
• yob
• punk
• yobbo
• robber
• perp
• cutthroat
• felon
• crook
• outlaw
• lawbreaker
• desperado
• vandal
• brigand
• highwayman
• racketeer
• gunman
• pickpocket
• mafioso
• swindler
• malefactor
• juvenile delinquent
• bravo
• tearaway

3

as in face

the front part of the head

she joked about not having to see his ugly mug anymore

Synonyms & Similar Words

• face
• pan
• countenance
• visage
• puss
• looks
• features
• appearance
• kisser
• presence
• aspect
• expression
• mien
• lineaments
• physiognomy

4

as in mouth

the opening through which food passes into the body of an animal

keep your mug shut and listen up

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mouth
• chops
• gob
• trap
• kisser
• face
• yap
• jaws
• piehole
• visage
• muzzle
• puss
• countenance
• mandible
• gullet
• maw
• maxilla

5

as in grimace

a twisting of the facial features in disgust or disapproval

an involuntary mug at the revolting sight

Synonyms & Similar Words

• grimace
• scowl
• mouth
• frown
• pout
• smirk
• face
• lour
• lower
• look
• moue
• mow
• stare
• growl
• wince
• snarl
• sneer
• snoot
• glare
• flinch
• glower
• rictus
• squinch
• scoff
• simper

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• smile
• laugh
• grin

6

as in sucker

chiefly British one who is easily deceived or cheated

the cardsharp was always on the lookout for a new mug

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sucker
• tool
• victim
• patsy
• pigeon
• chump
• gull
• target
• soft touch
• sap
• dupe
• loser
• fool
• pushover
• monkey
• butt
• goose
• mock
• turkey
• idiot
• schlemiel
• shlemiel
• moron
• cat's-paw
• booby
• dumbbell
• mockery
• dope
• jackass
• laughingstock
• mark
• nincompoop
• dummy
• derision
• dolt
• blockhead
• simpleton
• simp
• dunce
• half-wit
• nitwit
• imbecile
• ninny
• schnook
• dodo
• yo-yo
• schlump
• shlub
• schlub

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• shark
• sharper
• cheater
• dodger
• trickster
• confidence man
• cheat
• slicker
• swindler
• cozener
• defrauder
• hoaxer

7

as in idiot

chiefly British a stupid person

what kind of mug goes out in the rain without his brolly or a mackintosh?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• idiot
• moron
• stupid
• dummy
• mutt
• loser
• prat
• dip
• pinhead
• noodle
• dumbbell
• donkey
• turkey
• fool
• dope
• clodpole
• golem
• knucklehead
• fathead
• numbskull
• dolt
• bubblehead
• numskull
• lunkhead
• noddy
• stupe
• goon
• blockhead
• hammerhead
• cretin
• saphead
• dim bulb
• meathead
• lump
• chucklehead
• yahoo
• stock
• bonehead
• oaf
• dumbhead
• dunce
• chowderhead
• dullard
• clunk
• gander
• ignoramus
• loon
• imbecile
• villain
• goose
• hardhead
• dunderhead
• dumb cluck
• goof
• know-nothing
• jackass
• loggerhead
• jerk
• schnook
• nincompoop
• dum-dum
• dimwit
• cuddy
• airhead
• mome
• birdbrain
• dork
• ratbag
• dummkopf
• doofus
• woodenhead
• clown
• cluck
• cuddie
• clodpoll
• simpleton
• skunk
• ninnyhammer
• shlub
• half-wit
• deadhead
• ninny
• nitwit
• schlub
• dodo
• thickhead
• nimrod
• lamebrain
• nit
• clot
• yo-yo
• nut
• buffoon
• booby
• snake
• madman
• loony
• creep
• heel
• gawk
• zany
• featherbrain
• cad
• beast
• stinker
• scatterbrain
• cur
• boor
• churl

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• brain
• genius
• sage
• intellect
• thinker
• wizard
• intellectual
• whiz
• Renaissance man
• polymath
• sharpie
• sharpy

mug

2 of 4

verb (1)

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• grimace
• scowl
• mouth
• stare
• frown
• make faces
• make a face
• sneer
• smirk
• glare
• pull a face
• growl
• pout
• gaze
• snarl
• glower
• lour
• deform
• contort
• gloom
• warp
• ogle
• gape
• twist
• lower
• simper

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• beam
• smile
• grin

2

as in to photograph

to take a photograph of

mugging captured criminals for the police records

Synonyms & Similar Words

• photograph
• photo
• picture
• snap
• image
• shoot
• film
• videotape
• retake
• rephotograph

mugs

3 of 4

noun (2)

plural of mug

1

as in cups

a round vessel equipped with a handle and designed for drinking

a coffee mug

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cups
• goblets
• tankards
• beakers
• steins
• chalices
• teacups
• blackjacks
• noggins
• demitasses

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

• thugs
• villains
• criminals
• pirates
• hoods
• offenders
• gangsters
• bandits
• gorillas
• thieves
• assassins
• hooligans
• ruffians
• hoodlums
• yobboes
• rowdies
• mobsters
• plug-uglies
• toughs
• gangbangers
• roughnecks
• bullies
• toughies
• punks
• goons
• perpetrators
• yobs
• scoundrels
• yobbos
• desperados
• gangstas
• felons
• lawbreakers
• outlaws
• cutthroats
• robbers
• brigands
• desperadoes
• bravoes
• vandals
• perps
• highwaymen
• crooks
• swindlers
• racketeers
• mafiosi
• juvenile delinquents
• pickpockets
• malefactors
• bravos
• gunmen
• tearaways

3

as in faces

the front part of the head

she joked about not having to see his ugly mug anymore

Synonyms & Similar Words

• faces
• pans
• visages
• countenances
• features
• pusses
• looks
• appearances
• kissers
• presences
• lineaments
• aspects
• expressions
• miens
• physiognomies

4

as in mouths

the opening through which food passes into the body of an animal

keep your mug shut and listen up

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mouths
• chops
• gobs
• pie holes
• pieholes
• traps
• faces
• jaws
• kissers
• yaps
• muzzles
• visages
• countenances
• pusses
• mandibles
• maxillas
• maxillae
• maws
• gullets

5

as in grimaces

a twisting of the facial features in disgust or disapproval

an involuntary mug at the revolting sight

Synonyms & Similar Words

• grimaces
• scowls
• mouths
• frowns
• faces
• pouts
• lours
• looks
• smirks
• moues
• snoots
• lowers
• mows
• growls
• stares
• snarls
• winces
• sneers
• glares
• squinches
• flinches
• glowers
• rictuses
• scoffs
• simpers

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• smiles
• laughs
• grins

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

• suckers
• tools
• victims
• patsies
• pigeons
• chumps
• gulls
• targets
• dupes
• soft touches
• saps
• losers
• pushovers
• fools
• monkeys
• butts
• boobies
• lunatics
• idiots
• geese
• turkeys
• morons
• schlemiels
• shlemiels
• dumbbells
• laughingstocks
• dopes
• dodos
• nincompoops
• cat's-paws
• mockeries
• ninnies
• jackasses
• mocks
• blockheads
• imbeciles
• simpletons
• dummies
• half-wits
• dolts
• nitwits
• simps
• marks
• derisions
• schnooks
• yo-yos
• shlubs
• dunces
• schlumps
• dodoes
• schlubs

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sharks
• dodgers
• cheaters
• swindlers
• tricksters
• slickers
• sharpers
• cheats
• confidence men
• cozeners
• defrauders
• hoaxers

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

• idiots
• morons
• dummies
• mutts
• stupids
• lunatics
• donkeys
• losers
• noodles
• dumbbells
• numskulls
• prats
• dopes
• chowderheads
• knuckleheads
• fatheads
• clodpoles
• numbskulls
• turkeys
• dips
• stocks
• noddies
• blockheads
• imbeciles
• sapheads
• fools
• woodenheads
• golems
• dum-dums
• stupes
• boneheads
• cretins
• bubbleheads
• lunkheads
• pinheads
• dolts
• dumbheads
• meatheads
• dunderheads
• dodos
• deadheads
• hardheads
• airheads
• yahoos
• dullards
• oafs
• lumps
• schnooks
• loons
• dimwits
• goons
• cuddies
• shlubs
• dim bulbs
• chuckleheads
• nincompoops
• goofs
• thickheads
• nuts
• ignoramuses
• ninnies
• hammerheads
• dunces
• ganders
• dumb clucks
• dorks
• jerks
• jackasses
• momes
• ratbags
• clunks
• simpletons
• doofuses
• clowns
• dufuses
• birdbrains
• geese
• ignorami
• dummkopfs
• half-wits
• know-nothings
• lunks
• clucks
• ninnyhammers
• clodpolls
• loggerheads
• nitwits
• schlubs
• villains
• yo-yos
• nimrods
• lamebrains
• boobies
• buffoons
• dodoes
• clots
• skunks
• skunk
• nits
• loonies
• zanies
• madmen
• snakes
• heels
• gawks
• scatterbrains
• cads
• beasts
• featherbrains
• creeps
• stinkers
• boors
• churls
• curs

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• brains
• genii
• intellectuals
• thinkers
• geniuses
• sages
• intellects
• wizards
• whizzes
• sharpies
• polymaths
• Renaissance men

mugs

4 of 4

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of mug

1

as in scowls

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

• grimaces
• mouths
• scowls
• frowns
• stares
• makes faces
• smirks
• makes a face
• sneers
• glares
• pulls a face
• growls
• gazes
• pouts
• lours
• snarls
• glowers
• deforms
• warps
• ogles
• contorts
• twists
• gapes
• glooms
• lowers
• simpers

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• smiles
• beams
• grins

2

as in photographs

to take a photograph of

mugging captured criminals for the police records

Synonyms & Similar Words

• photographs
• photos
• pictures
• films
• snaps
• images
• shoots
• rephotographs
• retakes
• videotapes

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of mug

Noun

The set includes six 20-ounce tumbler mugs that feature an embossed design reminiscent of the classic, vintage mason jar style but with a modernized twist. —Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 28 June 2025

Items within this booklet include a $40 mug and a $99 floral pillow, or furniture like the rattan Adelaide Console for $3,250 found in the Lamplight room. —Jess Feldman, Travel + Leisure, 20 June 2025

The Trump campaign began selling T-shirts and mugs with the booking photograph. —Ally Goelz, The Washington Examiner, 16 June 2025

Joe Dietz, a 69-year-old resident of the Victory Centre — a senior-living facility in Park Forest, Ill. — recently received several sweaters, a supply of hot chocolate and mugs from Molski's organization. —Johnny Dodd, People.com, 15 June 2025