murky

adjective

ˈmər-kē 

murkier; murkiest

1

: characterized by a heavy dimness or obscurity caused by or like that caused by overhanging fog or smoke

the murky bottom of the lake

2

: characterized by thickness and heaviness of air : foggy, misty

rain poured down from murky skies

—Newsweek

3

: darkly vague or obscure

murky official rhetoric

He offered a murky explanation.

murkily

ˈmər-kə-lē 

adverb

murkiness

ˈmər-kē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• black
• caliginous
• dark
• darkened
• darkish
• darkling
• darksome
• dim
• dimmed
• dusk
• dusky
• gloomy
• lightless
• obscure
• obscured
• pitch-black
• pitch-dark
• pitchy
• rayless
• somber
• sombre
• stygian
• tenebrific
• tenebrous
• unlit

Examples of murky in a Sentence

She peered into one of the church's murky chapels.

a politician with a murky past

Recent Examples on the Web

But the origins of proto-cuneiform’s emergence have been murky, and many of its symbols remain undeciphered. —Ashley Strickland, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024

Three weeks before the general election, the political climate is murky and filled with more and more inflammatory rhetoric. —Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 4 Nov. 2024

The murky jobs report could play a role in next week’s meeting of Federal Reserve officials, where the central banks will decide how to follow up September’s 50-basis-point rate cut. —Jesse Pound,sophie Kiderlin, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2024

My thoughts were murkier, my muscles sorer and my mood more volatile. —Melissa Kenny, refinery29.com, 30 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing murky

• murky waters

Kids Definition

murky

adjective

ˈmər-kē 

murkier; murkiest

1

: very dark or gloomy

2

: foggy sense 1, misty

3

: difficult to understand

a murky reply designed to confuse

murkiness noun