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
variants
or mud
ˈmə(r)d
ˈmə̄d
plural -s
: a Dutch unit of capacity used in southern Africa equal to about three bushels
Cite this Entry
“Mud.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mud. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.
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