Murky Meaning
/ˈmɜː(ɹ)ki/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjHard to see through, as a fog or mist.
adjDark, dim, gloomy.
Sentence Examples
His English has a murky, muddled sound to it, don't you think?
Tom looked into the murky water.
Ziri can swim in deep murky water without fear.
CEFR Practice Quiz
After the storm, the pond water became ____ and filled with dirt and leaves.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The water in the old pond was so ____ and dark that it was almost impossible to see any of the fish swimming beneath the surface.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English mirky. Related to Old Norse myrkr, Russian мрак (mrak) and its Slavic cognates. By surface analysis, murk + -y.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The Streets of London, to be beheld in the very height of their glory, should be seen on a dark, dull, murky, winter's night, when there is just enough damp gently stealing down to make the pavement greasy without cleansing it of any of its impurities, […]"
— 1837, “Boz” [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], “The Streets by Night”, in Sketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-day Life, and Every-day People. The Second Series, London: John Macrone, […], →OCLC, page 19:
"Ferdinand: As I hope / For quite dayes, faire Iſſue, and long life, / With ſuch loue, as 'tis now the murkieſt den, / The moſt opportune place, the ſtrongſt ſuggeſtion, / Our worſer Genius can, shall neuer melt / Mine honor into luſt,[…]"
— 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], page 14:
"The future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program got murkier Tuesday when the Texas attorney general made good on a threat to challenge it in court."
— 2018 May 1, Tal Kopan, “7 states sue to end DACA, potentially jumbling its legal future”, in CNN, archived from the original on 02 May 2018:
"He became for a short time delirious, in consequence of attempting to comprehend the works of Mr. Nebulous, in which the English language is exhibited casting of summersets, with many prancings to and fro, before earnest-gazing, head-scratching readers, in murkiest obscuration, marvel stricken, with maddest humour and grinning contortions, heels-over-head, wondrous!"
— 1849 June, Michael South, “The Peace Campaigns of Ensign Faunce. [Part III. Chapter XIV.]”, in Fraser’s Magazine for Town and Country, volume XXXIX, number CCXXXIV, London: John W[illiam] Parker, West Strand, →OCLC, page 679, column 1:
"Offshore investment is among the murkiest sectors of the financial world. That’s by design – keeping money offshore can help shield money from tax authorities, obscure its origin and conceal the genuine owners."
— 2016 April 4, Charles Riley and Euan McKirdy, “The murky world of offshore tax havens”, in CNN Business, archived from the original on 20 Jul 2025:
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CEFR Practice Quiz
After the storm, the pond water became ____ and filled with dirt and leaves.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The water in the old pond was so ____ and dark that it was almost impossible to see any of the fish swimming beneath the surface.