murky

/ˈmɜːki/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmɜːrki/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmər-kē/ (ame, mw)

murky — adjective

  • murkypositive
  • murkiercomparative
  • murkiestsuperlative

1. so dark, dirty, or filled with floating matter that you cannot see clearly throu

1.形容詞B2
釋義

so dark, dirty, or filled with floating matter that you cannot see clearly through it or into it

例句

By noon, the pond looked murky after last night's heavy rain.

result after weather: look + murky

Murky smoke hung above the bus station at dawn.

attributive: murky + smoke / air

同義詞
  • cloudy

    common for liquids or air that are not clear, without always sounding dirty

  • muddy

    stresses mud or stirred-up dirt more directly

  • dim

    used for weak light rather than dirty water or air

反義詞
  • clear

    easy to see through or into

  • transparent

    completely see-through, especially for glass or liquid

  • bright

    full of light rather than dark

文法句型

murky + water/air/room

[noun] + look/become/stay + murky

用法筆記

Often describes water, air, glass, or a room when dirt, smoke, fog, or weak light makes clear vision difficult. Distinguish from 'muddy' when the focus is poor visibility rather than actual mud alone.

常見錯誤

❌The instructions were murky, so nobody understood them.
✅The instructions were unclear, so nobody understood them.
💡abstract information belongs to sense 2, not this literal visibility sense.
❌The field was murky after the game because it was messy.
✅The field was muddy after the game because it was messy.
💡use 'murky' here only when you mean something is hard to see through or see in.

2. describing a situation, piece of information, or someone's actions when the trut

2.形容詞B2
釋義

describing a situation, piece of information, or someone's actions when the truth is hard to understand and may involve hidden or dishonest motives

例句

The charity's finances grew murky after two years without an audit.

collocation: murky finances

Police found murky links between the nightclub owner and the fire.

collocation: murky links / murky deal

同義詞
  • unclear

    broader and more neutral; it does not always imply suspicion

  • shady

    more informal and more strongly suggests dishonesty

  • opaque

    often used for systems or decisions that are hard to examine from outside

反義詞
  • clear

    easy to understand and free from doubt

  • transparent

    open and honest, especially about money or decisions

  • straightforward

    simple and easy to follow, without hidden problems

文法句型

murky + deal/finances/history

it + be + murky + why/how-clause

[situation] + seem/grow + murky

用法筆記

Often modifies nouns such as 'deal', 'history', 'finances', or 'circumstances', and it can also appear after 'be' before a wh-clause ('It is murky why...'). Distinguish from plain 'unclear': 'murky' usually suggests something suspicious, unpleasant, or hidden as well.

常見錯誤

❌The pond became murky after the children jumped in.
✅The pond became cloudy after the children jumped in.
💡literal dirty water belongs to sense 1, not this figurative sense.
❌A murky teacher explained the homework.
✅An unclear teacher explanation confused the class.
💡this sense describes doubtful situations or information, not a person's ordinary appearance or manner.