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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
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3
as in face
the front part of the head she joked about not having to see his ugly mug anymore
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4
5
as in scowl
a twisting of the facial features in disgust or disapproval an involuntary mug at the revolting sight
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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
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7
as in idiot
chiefly British a stupid person what kind of mug goes out in the rain without his brolly or a mackintosh?
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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
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2
as in to photograph
to take a photograph of mugging captured criminals for the police records
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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
Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026 Handwritten notes on cups, ceramic mugs, comfortable seating—human details—had proven more valuable to customers than efficiency. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2026 Level up your coffee game with this travel mug that keeps liquids hot or cold without any exterior condensation. —Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 16 Apr. 2026 Each entry in a report includes the defendant’s name, their mug shot, a generalized location and an arrest summary that includes charges, if the arrest resulted from a warrant, the warrant details and the arrest address. —Wendi C. Thomas, ProPublica, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mug
Noun
Noah Centineo gives his beast mean mug while at Paramount Pictures' presentation at CinemaCon on April 16. —Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026 Handwritten notes on cups, ceramic mugs, comfortable seating—human details—had proven more valuable to customers than efficiency. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2026 Level up your coffee game with this travel mug that keeps liquids hot or cold without any exterior condensation. —Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 16 Apr. 2026 Each entry in a report includes the defendant’s name, their mug shot, a generalized location and an arrest summary that includes charges, if the arrest resulted from a warrant, the warrant details and the arrest address. —Wendi C. Thomas, ProPublica, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mug
Noun
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Guardiola used a four-man ‘non-press’, where City’s forwards formed a line and waited for their opponents to find a pass, knowing that Arsenal’s centre-backs — and cup goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga — had a comparatively limited passing range.— Sam Lee, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
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Hundreds of thousands of loyalty program members are using their personal cups to earn double stars on their orders.— Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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He’s beaten by thugs with a crowbar for an unfortunate outburst, exploited by neighbors in the council estate and arrested, all because people don’t understand Tourette syndrome.— Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
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Mayor vows to catch 'thugs who did this' Baton Rouge Mayor Sid Edwards promised that law enforcement will catch the people responsible for the violence at the mall.— Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Made with a lightweight cotton fabric, this bucket hat will keep your face cool on balmy days.— Claire West, PEOPLE, 12 Apr. 2026
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Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar left in the second period after he was hit in the face by a puck.— CBS News, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Now the unicorn is back, cutely neighing, its mouth as open as Laura’s is closed.— Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
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Duffy has also put his money where his mouth is, funneling $1 million from his mothballed campaign account dating back to his time in Congress to a super PAC supporting his son-in-law’s congressional campaign, according to the Badger Report, a nonprofit investigative outlet based in Wisconsin.— Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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May wears a smile more often than not, while Underwood is more associated with a perpetual scowl.— Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
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Despite having her arms almost permanently crossed and a scowl on her face, Ivy eventually starts to warm up, especially to her cheerful, horny-as-a-chihuahua cabin-mate Ella (Ruby Stokes, recently seen in Bridgerton and The Burning Girls).— Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Snip upright suckers and water sprouts that zap the tree’s energy.— Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026
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But to think that suckers get an even break when insiders have information that assures them of winning is folly.— William Mersey, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As the others grinned and grimaced at their rivals’ responses, Becerra was as stone-faced as Buster Keaton.— Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
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Wang grimaced, eying his neighbor’s yard.— Gabriel Debenedetti, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Tianrui Liang, 21, is accused of violating a federal law that restricts photographing defense installations without authorization, according to court documents filed in the Eastern District of New York.— Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
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Prince William and Kate Middleton joined King Charles and Queen Camilla, Princess Anne and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace, where Princess Kate was photographed embracing an 88-year-old war hero.— Katie Nicholl, Vanity Fair, 21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/mug. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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