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  1. Home /
  2. Dictionaries /
  3. English Dictionary /
  4. muddy up

muddy up

/ˈmʌdi ʌp/◆phrasal verb
make something dirty or complicated

The kids muddied up the whole room with their toys and paint.

The children made a mess in the room with their toys and paint.


◆ What It Really Means
to make something dirty or complicated
¶ Literal Meaning
to make something muddy
Literal Breakdown
muddycovered with mud+upto make something higher or more intense
◇ Mental Image
making a mess or complicating a situation
◈ When to Use
informal situations, everyday conversations
informal

to make something dirty, especially with mud

The kids muddied up the bathroom after playing outside.

The children made the bathroom dirty with mud after playing outside.

informal

to make a situation or issue more complicated or confused

The new policy muddied up the already complex issue.

The new policy made the already complex issue even more confusing.

Synonyms

dirtycomplicateconfuse

Antonyms

cleansimplifyclarify
English Dictionary
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Words of the Year

The most notable words that defined each year. Discover the vocabulary that shaped our world.