1
: a slimy sticky mixture of solid material with a liquid and especially water
especially
: soft wet earth
2
: abusive and malicious remarks or charges
political campaigners slinging mud at each other
3
: anathema sense 1a
—usually used in the phrase one's name is mud
4
: a mixture of water, clay, and chemicals used in oil-well drilling and having various functions (such as lubrication and cooling of the bit and flushing of rock particles to the surface)
mudded; mudding
Synonyms
Examples of mud in a Sentence
Noun
He tracked mud into the house.
The car was stuck in the mud.
Recent Examples on the Web
Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
That would be huge for the guys in mud and mustard.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2024
The area is named for the bighorn sheep that come down from the mountainside to lick mud for nutrients.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2024
Bedrock shakes least, sand and gravel as much as two times more and mud and landfill as much as five times more, a major factor in why some areas of San Francisco suffered more than others in the Loma Prieta quake of 1989.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
However, mud and loose sediment obscure their view—crews can see just one or two feet in front of them in the murky water.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
Cons The tread is shallow which could lead to slips if mud or other debris got lodged in those crevices.
—Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 27 Mar. 2024
Each square of the tile floor was covered with a mud mask.
—Nicole Pyles, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Mar. 2024
Spring could still produce plenty of rain, but heavy storms can create mud on fields or wash seeds away.
—Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2024
Laura Holt, Travel + Leisure, 16 Nov. 2023
Renee agreed, and then added some motherly intuition about the outdoorsy teen who loves to fish and to go mudding with his friends.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 25 Oct. 2023
Runners were greeted with rain thick enough to obscure views, mud quick to soak through shoes and socks, and the red-and-golden hints in the alpine underbrush that fall is, in fact, nearly here.
—Iris Samuels, Anchorage Daily News, 27 Aug. 2023
Navigating technical terrain that can change from slick rock to loose dirt to mud over the course of a run requires a sense of groundedness in your feet, and the Speedgoat 5 delivers on that with a new-and-improved outsole that uses Vibram® Megagrip and Traction Lug technology for tacky traction.
—Outside Online, 25 Mar. 2022
Across from Eichhorn’s house, neighbors on lower ground saw water up to their car door handles, mud several feet deep and parts of the hillside collapsing onto the street.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2023
The ground, not yet frozen, has turned to mud, sticking to uniforms and weapons and ensnaring vehicles, military, and civilian alike.
—Matthew Mpoke Bigg, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Nov. 2022
The ground, not yet frozen, has turned to mud, sticking to uniforms and weapons and ensnaring vehicles, military and civilian alike.
—Matthew Mpoke Bigg, New York Times, 27 Nov. 2022
Before the weather in Ukraine turns bitterly cold, the challenge for both sides is fall rain that turns fields and many roads to mud.
—Daniel Michaels, WSJ, 10 Nov. 2022
Noun
Investigators searched the park for a week, but Bernstein’s body was not discovered until heavy rains washed away just enough mud to expose him.
—Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
That would be huge for the guys in mud and mustard.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2024
The area is named for the bighorn sheep that come down from the mountainside to lick mud for nutrients.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2024
Bedrock shakes least, sand and gravel as much as two times more and mud and landfill as much as five times more, a major factor in why some areas of San Francisco suffered more than others in the Loma Prieta quake of 1989.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
However, mud and loose sediment obscure their view—crews can see just one or two feet in front of them in the murky water.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
Cons The tread is shallow which could lead to slips if mud or other debris got lodged in those crevices.
—Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 27 Mar. 2024
Each square of the tile floor was covered with a mud mask.
—Nicole Pyles, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Mar. 2024
Spring could still produce plenty of rain, but heavy storms can create mud on fields or wash seeds away.
—Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2024
Verb
Integrated gaiters give above-ankle protection to keep slushy snow and mud out while the outer Gore-tex fabric makes the shoe waterproof and windproof, yet breathable.
—Laura Holt, Travel + Leisure, 16 Nov. 2023
Renee agreed, and then added some motherly intuition about the outdoorsy teen who loves to fish and to go mudding with his friends.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 25 Oct. 2023
Runners were greeted with rain thick enough to obscure views, mud quick to soak through shoes and socks, and the red-and-golden hints in the alpine underbrush that fall is, in fact, nearly here.
—Iris Samuels, Anchorage Daily News, 27 Aug. 2023
Navigating technical terrain that can change from slick rock to loose dirt to mud over the course of a run requires a sense of groundedness in your feet, and the Speedgoat 5 delivers on that with a new-and-improved outsole that uses Vibram® Megagrip and Traction Lug technology for tacky traction.
—Outside Online, 25 Mar. 2022
Across from Eichhorn’s house, neighbors on lower ground saw water up to their car door handles, mud several feet deep and parts of the hillside collapsing onto the street.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2023
The ground, not yet frozen, has turned to mud, sticking to uniforms and weapons and ensnaring vehicles, military, and civilian alike.
—Matthew Mpoke Bigg, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Nov. 2022
The ground, not yet frozen, has turned to mud, sticking to uniforms and weapons and ensnaring vehicles, military and civilian alike.
—Matthew Mpoke Bigg, New York Times, 27 Nov. 2022
Before the weather in Ukraine turns bitterly cold, the challenge for both sides is fall rain that turns fields and many roads to mud.
—Daniel Michaels, WSJ, 10 Nov. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mud.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near mud
Cite this Entry
“Mud.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mud. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share