Murky
mediumNegative toneMER-kee
adjective
Definition
Dark and gloomy; not clear or transparent; unclear
Memory hook
MURKY water looks like MUCK — dark, unclear, and suspicious.
Examples
“The murky water concealed what lay beneath.”
“The company's murky financial dealings raised concerns.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The ______ water concealed what lay beneath.”
Show answer
murky
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Murky is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "turbid" or "opaque" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "clear".
Related GRE Words
morose
sullen and gloomy; ill-tempered
opaque
Not able to be seen through; not transparent; difficult to understand
abstruse
Difficult to understand; obscure
arcane
Understood by few; mysterious or secret
coherent
Logical and consistent; able to speak clearly and logically
cryptic
Having a meaning that is mysterious or obscure
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