1
as in darkened
being without light or without much light
I didn't like walking around the murky campground without a flashlight
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dark
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
the murky shadows of the cemetery
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in hazy
filled with or dimmed by fine particles (as of dust or water) in suspension
skies made murky from the smoke of forest fires that were many miles to the west
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4
as in ambiguous
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning
a murky reply to a question about his intentions
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5
as in vague
not seen or understood clearly
a gubernatorial candidate with a murky position on the hot-button issue of capital punishment
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of murky
The story behind sports’ most universal gesture is a genuine historical mystery with at least two credible origin claims, a handful of murkier ones and no definitive answer.
—
Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2026
There’s a bit of a murky origin story to the Cadillac Margarita.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 25 Apr. 2026
So the show didn’t shy away from getting bloody, dark, murky, with plenty of curse words here and there.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 24 Apr. 2026
Economists disagree about whether the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz will ultimately drive the world's economy into a downturn, in part because the duration of the waterway's effective closure remains murky.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for murky
Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2026
There’s a bit of a murky origin story to the Cadillac Margarita.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 25 Apr. 2026
So the show didn’t shy away from getting bloody, dark, murky, with plenty of curse words here and there.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 24 Apr. 2026
Economists disagree about whether the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz will ultimately drive the world's economy into a downturn, in part because the duration of the waterway's effective closure remains murky.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for murky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for murky
Adjective
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In the darkened foyer, Ember contemplated this unassuming bit of paper, momentarily paralyzed by a mixture of dread and excitement stirred together, an overpowering sensation that oozed from the crown of her head, down the length of her body, then hardened, like a soft golden resin becoming solid.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
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As scientists often find darkened teeth in ancient burials, other factors can contribute to a black appearance, notably the chewing of betel leaves.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But what exactly happens to these baby stars next isn't always clear (literally) because they are buried deep within clouds of dark, dusty gas that obscure them.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
All the bedrooms can be found upstairs, including one that’s currently being used as an office and a primary suite flaunting dual dressing rooms and baths, plus a sauna clad in dark gray stone.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The company’s theatrical ambitions are hazier despite its massive 2025 box office hit F1.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
30 Apr. 2026
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The smoke from the fire will likely reduce visibility, lead to hazy skies at times and lower air quality.—
Lissette Gonzalez,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The problem with the exhibition is not the works of art on view, but its ambiguous premise, its unwillingness to define its terms and approach the Lost Cause with historical clarity.—
Horace D. Ballard,
Artforum,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The services can analyze all sorts of things, from the specific — such as a hotel bill that exceeded a preset limit — to the more ambiguous, such as whether a lawyer’s description of a task was too vague to be worthy of payment.—
Joe Mahr,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The exact reasons are often left vague, and the successors to be determined, but people are leaving.—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The exact reason remains vague, but some widespread cultural practice occurred across Central Europe.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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At first glance, AI companions for lonely seniors can seem dystopian, looking less like innovation than a bleak sign of social failure.—
Catherine Thorbecke,
Twin Cities,
25 Apr. 2026
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Things are impossibly bleak for the Rockets, which were without Kevin Durant for the second game this series.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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There’s something so edgy and industrial about this set, which pairs silver chrome accent nails with black cutout tips, stripes, and misty gray polish.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
10 Apr. 2026
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To the left of Castor and Pollux lies the constellation Cancer, the crab, the core of which plays host to the 100-strong stellar population of the Beehive Cluster (M44), which is visible as a small, misty patch of light on moonless nights.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But even in its most opposing moments, from its depths of disintegration to its peaks of pattern-building, Spirals/Viral has a cryptic unity.—
Reed Jackson,
SPIN,
24 Apr. 2026
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George traces mentalism back to the Oracle of Delphi in ancient Greece, who purported to deliver divine — and cryptic — messages from Apollo.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Murky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/murky. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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