murky environment

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "murky environment" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation or context that is unclear, confusing, or difficult to navigate, often in a metaphorical sense. Example: "The company's financial situation was a murky environment, making it hard for investors to make informed decisions."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Science & Research

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

"The monitors are going to be stuck in the middle of an extremely murky environment," Hokayem said.

The Washington Post

Against all obstacles, year after year photographers have tried their luck in this murky environment, and surprisingly often they have succeeded.

The New York Times - Books

Introduce a culture of excessive executive rewards to this murky environment and you create the ideal conditions for high and unaccountable pay to flourish.

The Guardian - Opinion

Layering cones on top of rods allows the elephantnose fish to see low-contrast objects in a murky environment.

Science Magazine

It was in this murky environment that the dispute over claims to the mineral wealth began, pitting Gulf coast states, particularly Louisiana and Texas, against the federal government.

Huffington Post

Though these tidal disruption events are thought to be common, they are rarely detected because of the murky environment surrounding supermassive black holes, where light is obscured by clouds of dust and gas.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

But implausible lies are more important in the murky environments of many authoritarian regimes, where secrecy and fear make it difficult for rulers to know if their subordinates are truly loyal.

The Washington Post

I am a veteran of shows that deal with the life of the pond, the life of the swamp, the life of the meadow, and I take my sun helmet off in admiration to the adventurous film makers who muck around in such natural and murky environments.

The New York Times

It prefers shallow, murky environments with soft bottoms, and tends to roam within a fairly localised area.

Wikipedia

There are a lot of gray areas, so you have to feel confident and be able to work within a murkier environment.

Forbes

Indonesia's murky regulatory environment compounds the situation, according to Concord Consulting.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "murky environment" to effectively convey a sense of confusion, opacity, or lack of clarity in a given situation. It works well when describing complex political situations, challenging business landscapes, or even literal physical environments.

Common error

Avoid using "murky environment" when simpler terms like "unclear situation" or "confusing context" would suffice. Reserve it for situations where the complexity and lack of transparency are significant.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "murky environment" functions as a descriptive noun phrase, where "murky" modifies the noun "environment". According to Ludwig, this phrase is correctly used in English to depict unclear or confusing situations.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Science & Research

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "murky environment" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to describe situations lacking clarity or transparency. Ludwig AI confirms its validity in English writing. It's frequently found in News & Media, Science, and Science & Research contexts, conveying a sense of confusion or difficulty in understanding. When writing, it's best to use this phrase when you want to emphasize the complexity and lack of transparency of a situation, and avoid overuse in contexts where simpler terms would suffice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

obscure circumstances

Emphasizes the hidden or unknown nature of the circumstances.

vague setting

Changes the adjective to "vague", implying a lack of clarity rather than cloudiness.

ambiguous context

Substitutes "murky" with "ambiguous" and "environment" with "context", suggesting uncertainty in meaning.

opaque scenario

Uses "opaque" to suggest a lack of transparency in the scenario.

turbid atmosphere

Replaces "murky" with "turbid" to emphasize a disturbed or agitated atmosphere.

unclear situation

Replaces the metaphor with a more direct and literal expression.

nebulous conditions

Substitutes with "nebulous" focusing on vagueness and lack of clear definition.

shadowy conditions

Employs "shadowy" to highlight the presence of darkness or concealment.

confused state

Shifts the focus to a state of confusion rather than a surrounding environment.

indistinct backdrop

Alters the imagery to an indistinct or blurred background.

FAQs

How can I use "murky environment" in a sentence?

You can use "murky environment" to describe situations lacking clarity or transparency, such as "The political landscape is a "murky environment", making it difficult to predict future outcomes."

What are some alternatives to "murky environment"?

Alternatives include "vague setting", "unclear situation", or "ambiguous context", depending on the specific shade of meaning you want to convey.

Is "murky environment" a formal or informal phrase?

"Murky environment" can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it's most effective in situations where you want to add a touch of metaphorical imagery to your description.

Can "murky environment" be used to describe physical spaces?

Yes, "murky environment" can describe physical spaces, such as "The divers struggled to navigate the "murky environment" of the underwater cave."