mug 1 of 2

noun

ˈməg How to pronounce mug (audio)
Definition of mugnext
1
as in cup
a round vessel equipped with a handle and designed for drinking a coffee mug

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in thug
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang just a bunch of mugs with no respect for anyone, not even themselves

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in face
the front part of the head she joked about not having to see his ugly mug anymore

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in mouth
the opening through which food passes into the body of an animal keep your mug shut and listen up

Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in scowl
a twisting of the facial features in disgust or disapproval an involuntary mug at the revolting sight

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in sucker
chiefly British one who is easily deceived or cheated the cardsharp was always on the lookout for a new mug

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in idiot
chiefly British a stupid person what kind of mug goes out in the rain without his brolly or a mackintosh?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

mug

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to grimace
to distort one's face every time their picture was snapped, both children mugged by sticking out their tongues or scrunching up their faces

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to photograph
to take a photograph of mugging captured criminals for the police records

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mug
Noun
Pour Over Coffee Pour-over involves pouring hot water over ground, roasted coffee beans through a paper filter set in a brewing cone and placed above a mug or pot. — Amber Raiken, Verywell Health, 12 Aug. 2026 Sip on your potions with an iridescent coffee mug this Halloween season. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 12 Aug. 2026 Add a table lamp, a vase of fresh flowers, and a saucer plate that matches your favorite coffee mug to sip your morning brew or a cup of hot tea for reading on weekend afternoons. — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 10 Aug. 2026 Collectors can discover vintage ceramic jugs, mugs and teapots. — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mug
  1. cup
  2. thug
  3. face
  4. mouth
  5. scowl
  6. sucker
  7. moron
  8. grimace
Noun
  • For larger sections of tile, mix 1 cup baking soda with 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide into a paste.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The captain’s chairs are heated, feature LATCH and top-tether anchors, have individual arm rests that fold flush into the seat edge, and have built-in cup holders that flip down from the seat’s inside edge.
    — Joel Feder, The Drive, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of cup
Noun
  • Tae-ha’s mom left him after Sang-gil, who was also a boxer prior to becoming a thug, cheated in a match.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Shortly after his big win, he’s attacked by two thugs in a parking garage.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 July 2026
Definition of thug
Noun
  • The 18-year old who was thrown to the ground and punched in the face by an Arkansas State Police trooper during a traffic stop near Manila earlier this month has filed a lawsuit against the trooper.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 Aug. 2026
  • However, a whole-brain analysis did show distinct patterns of activity when the dogs saw faces showing the negative emotions.
    — Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of face
Noun
  • Aside from gameplay, the real blow-your-socks-off differences are in franchise mode where the team has put their money where their proverbial mouth is with the best version of the iconic feature.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • And his administration is putting taxpayer money where his mouth is, paying companies billions of dollars to NOT build them.
    — Nate Hegyi, NPR, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of mouth
Noun
  • Every once in a while, the goddess Athena (Zendaya) will appear at Odysseus’ side to judge his actions, mostly by offering a scowl of disapproval, the sort of face a wife makes when her husband loads the dishwasher wrong.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 15 July 2026
  • His scowl in training sessions was permanent.
    — Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 1 June 2026
Definition of scowl
Noun
  • Often, a tree grows suckers in response to stress from pests, diseases, or damage, or to difficult conditions such as inadequate root space or insufficient water.
    — Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
  • This sucker is super small and lightweight, clips on in a second, and feels damn close to the original inputs.
    — David Pierce, The Verge, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of sucker
Noun
  • God help us all if some idiot, some moron, ever put you in charge.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 18 July 2026
  • Mantzoukas was willing to look like a maniac and a moron in equal measure.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 June 2026
Definition of moron
Verb
  • Garner started the video with a clip of her drinking leftovers from the drink container and seemingly getting a brain freeze, holding her hand to her forehead and grimacing.
    — Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Artur fell to the ground, grimaced in pain and held his hand up to get the referee’s attention.
    — Latif Love August 2, Kansas City Star, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of grimace

Browse Nearby Words

mufti
mug
mugged
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mug. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on mug

Nglish: Translation of mug for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All