addle

¹ad·dle

adjective \ˈa-d^əl\

Definition of ADDLE

1

of an egg : rotten

2

: confused

Examples of ADDLE

1. <my brain grew more and more addle as I made my way through the tax instructions>

Origin of ADDLE

Middle English adel filth, from Old English adela; akin to Middle Low German adele liquid manure

First Known Use: 1682

Related to ADDLE

Synonyms

dizzy, addled, addlepated, bedeviled, befogged, befuddled, bemused, bewildered, bushed [chiefly Australian], confounded, confused, dazed, distracted, dopey (also dopy), fogged, mixed-up, muddleheaded, muzzy, pixilated (also pixillated), punch-drunk, punchy, raddled, shell-shocked, silly, slaphappy, spaced-out (or spaced), spacey (also spacy), stunned, stupefied, zonked, zonked-out

Antonyms

clearheaded, unconfused

Related Words

senseless, unconscious

Near Antonyms

alert, conscious

Rhymes with ADDLE

paddle, raddle, saddle, spraddle, staddle, straddle

²addle

verb

ad·dledad·dling\ˈad-liŋ, ˈa-d^əl-iŋ\

Definition of ADDLE

transitive verb

: to throw into confusion : confound

intransitive verb

1

: to become rotten : spoil

2

: to become confused

Examples of ADDLE

1. It's a dangerous poison that's strong enough to addle the brain.
2. Their brains were addled with fear.

First Known Use of ADDLE

1682

Related to ADDLE

Synonyms

confuse, baffle, bamboozle, beat, befog, befuddle, bemuse, bewilder, buffalo, confound, discombobulate, disorient, flummox, fox, fuddle, get, gravel, maze, muddle, muddy, mystify, perplex, pose, puzzle, vex

Related Words

stick, stump, weird out; abash, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, mortify, nonplus, rattle; agitate, bother, chagrin, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distress, disturb, perturb, stun, unhinge, unsettle, upset; beguile, cozen, deceive, delude, dupe, fool, gull, hoax, hoodwink, humbug, misguide, mislead, snow, string along, take in, trick

Near Antonyms

assure, reassure, satisfy; enlighten, inform

Rhymes with ADDLE

paddle, raddle, saddle, straddle