muddy
covered in or full of mud
Wet and dirty because of mud or soft earth.
[something] is muddy
- Take off your muddy boots before you come inside.
- The kids came back from the park with muddy hands and faces.
- After the heavy rain, the path to the house was so muddy that cars got stuck.
- The dog left muddy paw prints all over the kitchen floor.
- We had to wash our muddy clothes as soon as we got home from the hike.
- My shoes are muddy after the rain.
- The children play in the muddy yard.
- The road is muddy, so we must walk slowly.
- The dog jumps on the bed with muddy feet.
- I wash my muddy pants in the sink.
dull or unclear in color or sound
Not clear or bright in color or sound; dull and hard to see or hear well.
[something] looks/sounds muddy
- The photo is too dark and muddy to print in the magazine.
- The guitarist turned down the bass because the sound was getting muddy.
- The painting looked flat and muddy until the artist added a few bright highlights.
- On this old TV, the colors are muddy and washed out.
- The recording is a bit muddy, so it’s hard to pick out the vocals.
- The colors on this screen are muddy.
- The singer’s voice sounds muddy on my phone.
- This picture is muddy and not very clear.
- The movie looked muddy on the old TV.
- The sound is muddy, so I cannot hear the words well.
unclear or confusing in meaning
Hard to understand because it is not clear or is badly explained.
[explanation/idea] is muddy
- The report’s conclusion is muddy and doesn’t answer the main question.
- His explanation of the new policy was so muddy that everyone left the meeting confused.
- The article starts well but becomes muddy in the middle and hard to follow.
- Her thinking on this issue is still muddy; she needs more time to sort it out.
- The instructions are muddy, so many users make the same mistake.
- The teacher’s answer was muddy, so I still do not understand.
- The rules are muddy, and people do not know what to do.
- His ideas are muddy and not easy to follow.
- The book is good, but the last chapter is muddy.
- The plan is muddy; we need a clearer one.
make something covered or filled with mud
To make something dirty and brown by putting mud or soft earth on or in it.
to muddy [something]
- The truck’s tires muddied the driveway after the storm.
- Please don’t muddy the floor; take off your shoes at the door.
- Heavy construction has muddied the river, making the water cloudy and brown.
- The children muddied their clothes playing football in the rain.
- Cows muddied the path as they walked back to the barn.
- The kids muddy the floor with their shoes.
- Rain and cars muddy the road.
- Do not muddy the carpet with your boots.
- The cows muddy the river when they walk in it.
- My dog muddied my pants when he jumped on me.
make an issue or idea less clear
To make a problem or idea harder to understand by adding extra or confusing information.
to muddy [the issue/situation/debate]
- Bringing up old personal problems will only muddy the issue.
- The company’s vague statement muddied the waters instead of answering people’s questions.
- Adding too many technical details will just muddy the discussion.
- Politicians sometimes muddy the debate by changing the subject.
- Her comment muddied the picture and left everyone unsure what the real problem was.
- That long answer muddies the issue.
- His story muddies the waters and people feel confused.
- Do not muddy the discussion with extra problems.
- The lawyer tried to muddy the facts in court.
- Bringing in old stories muddies the debate.
- Base: muddy
- Comparative: muddier
- Superlative: muddiest
- Base: muddy
- 3rd Person Singular: muddies
- Present Participle: muddying
- Past: muddied
muddy the issue
1make a specific problem less clear
To make one particular question or problem harder to understand or solve by adding extra or confusing ideas.
- Bringing up money right now will only muddy the issue.
- Let’s not muddy the issue with personal attacks.
muddy the waters
1make a situation more confusing
To make a situation or problem less clear and more confusing, often by adding extra or wrong information.
- Releasing half-true information at this stage will only muddy the waters.
- Instead of clarifying the rules, the new memo has muddied the waters for everyone.
muddy up
1make something dirty or unclear
To make something dirty with mud, or to make an idea, story, or situation less clear.
- The trucks really muddied up the yard during the storm.
- Adding too many details will just muddy up your explanation.