Word
murky
US/ˈmɝki/
UK/mˈɜːki/
Definition
adj. dark and dirty, making it hard to see through. It can describe water with mud in it or a situation that is not clear or honest.
adj. characterised by darkness, thickness, or dirt that obscures visibility. Often used figuratively to describe suspicious or morally ambiguous situations where the full truth is hidden.
Examples
“The lake water was too murky to see the bottom.”
“The company's murky financial history made investors nervous about the new merger.”
“The investigation stalled as detectives navigated the murky waters of international espionage, where every lead seemed to dissolve into a web of conflicting interests and half-truths.”
Examples
simple
“The lake water was too murky to see the bottom.”
contextual
“The company's murky financial history made investors nervous about the new merger.”
complex
“The investigation stalled as detectives navigated the murky waters of international espionage, where every lead seemed to dissolve into a web of conflicting interests and half-truths.”
Usage
Commonly modifies nouns related to liquids (water, depths) or abstract concepts (past, details, world).
Real-World Examples
“In small groups living in murky water, fish reached the food more quickly when they stayed close together and swam in the same direction.” Etymology
From Middle English mirky. Related to Old Norse myrkr, Russian мрак (mrak) and its Slavic cognates. By surface analysis, murk + -y.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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