murky
Americanadjective
-
gloomy or dark
-
cloudy or impenetrable as with smoke or fog
Related Words
See dark.
Other Word Forms
- murkily adverb
- murkiness noun
Etymology
Origin of murky
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English mirky; see origin at murk, -y 1
Explanation
Something that's murky is dim, gloomy or hard to see through clearly. Think of the dark fog around a haunted house or the cloudy, muddy water in a swamp. Rarely used before the 17th century, this adjective came about by adding a "y" to the word murk. Murk itself evolved from myrkr, a Norse word for "darkness.” Things that are murky are unclear; that goes for murky, sediment-filled lakes, shady business deals, and arguments that don't seem to make any sense.
Vocabulary lists containing murky
The Diary of Anne Frank
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"The Ravine," Vocabulary from the short story
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List 10
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Sarah Corden, the research and policy director for the farmer-led watchdog organization Farm Action, said that the disproportionate aid payments and murky framework are “fairly typical,” but called the rollout “problematic.”
From Salon • Apr. 25, 2026
But that depends on a workable U.S.-Iran agreement which still seems murky.
From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026
Even as cease-fire details remain murky, noted strategist Tom Lee says the bottom has now been set for the U.S. stock market.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
Sunny spells will continue in many areas but mist and fog patches will mean murky mornings for some.
From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026
The snake was launched into the air and splashed, unconscious, into the murky water.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
