muak

Muak is an adjective used in Indonesian and Malay to express a strong sense of revulsion, disgust, or being fed up with something. The term conveys more intensity than the general sense of boredom, implying aversion and a feeling of being overwhelmed by repetition, excess, or unpleasantness. In everyday speech, muak can describe reactions to food, behavior, news, or environments.

Usage is typically with phrases such as muak dengan, muak terhadap, muak melihat, or muak mendengar. Examples include: Saya muak dengan makanan pedas itu; Dia muak terhadap korupsi yang berulang; Saya muak melihat berita bohong. Intensifiers like sangat muak, amat muak, or terlalu muak can be used to heighten the sense of revulsion. In formal writing, muak is less common; speakers may choose alternatives such as sangat bosan or tidak senang, depending on the register.

In some dialects or informal contexts, muak can also function as an interjection to express disgust, though this usage is more typical in spoken language and casual dialogue. Etymologically, muak is a native term within Malay and Indonesian vocabularies, and while its precise historical origins are not widely documented, it remains a stable part of contemporary everyday language in these communities.

Related terms include bosan (to be bored) and jijik (nauseated or disgusted), with muak representing a strong, emotionally charged overlap between these concepts. The word is used across various Indonesian and Malay-speaking regions, including informal conversations, media, and social commentary, where speakers seek to convey a pronounced negative reaction.