stuck in the muck
- idiom
- Informal
:
atrapado en el lodo
- After trying several methods to solve his problem, he realized he was just stuck in the muck of indecision.
Examples
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The team was stuck in the muck after failing to meet their project deadlines and facing constant setbacks.
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The image below illustrates how in Time Perspective Therapy (TPT), we show people how to lift their back foot that is stuck in the muck and mire of the traumatic past while standing firmly on the ground of the solid present, and place it into a brighter future.
Blog text (9) -
She felt stuck in the muck at her job, unable to find a way to advance her career.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
Not able to move because something holds or traps you
∞
1.0
A situation in which things are untidy and confused
25
7.9
A difficult situation that is hard to escape or solve
21
5.8
To become stuck and unable to make progress because of problems
16
6.7
Stuck doing the same boring things and not making progress for a long time
14
6.7
In trouble and needing help to fix a problem
10
9.3
A confusing situation full of problems that is hard to get out of
9
5.0
A confused, disorganized situation where things are not in order
9
1.6
Something that is untidy and not in order
3
6.3
Unable to move forward because of a physical problem or other difficulty
1
5.5
A difficult, unpleasant situation that is hard to fix
1
7.8
In a bad situation that stops progress like being stuck in mud
Deeply stuck in a difficult situation that is hard to leave
A state of confusion where things are unclear or messy
Antonyms
How Stuck
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from the parts: 'stuck' (unable to move) + 'in' (position) + 'muck' (mud/a messy substance) yields the image of being immobilised in a messy place and easily extends to being unable to make progress in a difficult or messy situation. This metaphorical mapping (cf. 'mired in') is common across languages and follows straightforward compositional logic, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would likely infer the intended sense.
Etymology
Stuck in the muck comes from the image of being stuck in thick muck, like a person or cart trapped in deep mud and unable to move forward. That's why it means 'unable to make progress' because you are trapped in a messy or hard situation.