murky eyes

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "murky eyes" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe eyes that appear unclear, cloudy, or lacking brightness, often conveying a sense of mystery or depth. Example: "She looked at him with murky eyes, as if hiding secrets beneath the surface."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science & Research

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

If the skipper waits too long before returning to port, the fish will exhibit murky eyes or an off-putting smell, the telltale signs of spoilage.

The New York Times - Food

Jars stuffed with gelatinous appendages line the shelves of one room from floor to ceiling, and murky eyes peer unseeingly through their alcohol preservative.

Science Magazine

I looked at him with murky eyes, stunned.

Huffington Post

He looked at me with murky eyes and smiled, "I forgive you, too".

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

The school counsellor, Mrs. Lenski, middle-aged and with murky blue eyes outlined in brown, tried to persuade her to finish.

The New Yorker

From touchdown in Asuncíon, Auschwitz-looking crowds approach in the airport, murky red eyes popping from their skulls, yearning to 'help' in exchange for 50 cents — or, they hope, your luggage.

Vice

Fortified by an arsenal of new details, he has revisited his magnificent obsession with systematized inhumanity, coloring in areas of despair that previously had languished in murky outline, eye-catching to scholars but perhaps not clear enough to others.

The New York Times

On its first test in the ocean's murky depths, the Eye recorded a squid unknown to science.

The New York Times

Forest Whitaker's Amin is vast and dark as Uganda itself, a guffawing, snorting, farting correlative of 'l'Etat, c'est moi'; he basks on the surface of murky depths, one eye in that remarkable face seemingly seeing all while the other droops in dangerous somnolence.

The Guardian - Film

Her eyes were murky gray, the color of oysters, with the kind of opaqueness you see in the elderly or the blind.

The New Yorker

If the cat's eyes are murky or glued shut, or if it looks in any way sick, do your best to get it into a cat carrier (bait works well) to take it to a vet.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "murky eyes" to evoke a sense of mystery, illness, or emotional depth in your writing. It's particularly effective in descriptive narratives where you want to convey a character's inner state through their physical appearance.

Common error

Avoid using "murky eyes" in overly clinical or technical descriptions where a more precise medical term would be appropriate. The phrase is best suited for literary or evocative contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "murky eyes" functions primarily as a descriptive element, modifying a noun to depict a specific quality of the eyes. It provides visual and emotional cues about the subject being described, as exemplified by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science & Research

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

2%

Academia

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "murky eyes" is a grammatically sound and evocative descriptor, primarily functioning to convey a sense of mystery, illness, or hidden emotions. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is a correct and usable phrase in written English. Though relatively rare in overall usage, it appears most frequently in News & Media contexts. When using "murky eyes", aim for literary or descriptive narratives and avoid overuse in formal, clinical contexts where a more precise term is needed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

muddy eyes

Directly compares the appearance of the eyes to the color and clarity of mud.

hazy eyes

Indicates a lack of sharpness or clarity, mirroring the effect of "murky eyes".

opaque eyes

Emphasizes the lack of transparency, which obscures what is behind the eyes

clouded vision

Focuses on the impaired state of sight, similar to the lack of clarity suggested by "murky eyes".

obscured vision

Refers to a state where sight is blocked or unclear, similar to the impaired clarity of "murky eyes".

lackluster eyes

Focuses on the lack of vibrancy and shine, similar to the dullness implied by "murky eyes".

dimly lit eyes

Emphasizes the lack of brightness or clarity in the eyes' appearance.

turbid eyes

Uses a more technical term to describe the cloudy or disturbed appearance of the eyes.

unclear gaze

Highlights the lack of clarity in the way someone is looking, related to the obscuration implied by "murky eyes".

shadowed eyes

Highlights the presence of shadows that make the eyes appear unclear.

FAQs

What does "murky eyes" mean?

"Murky eyes" describes eyes that appear unclear, cloudy, or lacking brightness, often suggesting a hidden depth of emotion, illness, or a lack of clarity.

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

You might say, "He looked at me with "murky eyes", hinting at a secret sorrow" or "The fish had "murky eyes", a sign of spoilage".

What are some alternatives to "murky eyes"?

Alternatives include "cloudy eyes", "opaque eyes", or "hazy eyes", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "murky eyes" a literal or figurative description?

While it can describe a literal physical condition, "murky eyes" is often used figuratively to suggest a deeper, less visible quality or emotion within a character.