muddle

¹mud·dle

verb \ˈmə-d^əl\

mud·dledmud·dling\ˈməd-liŋ, ˈmə-d^əl-iŋ\

Definition of MUDDLE

transitive verb

1

: to make turbid or muddy

2

: to befog or stupefy especially with liquor

3

: to mix confusedly

4

: to make a mess of : bungle

intransitive verb

: to think or act in a confused aimless way

— mud·dler \ˈməd-lər, ˈmə-d^əl-ər\ noun

Examples of MUDDLE

1. <a car shopper thoroughly muddled by too much well-meaning advice>
2. <some mischievous brat had muddled the household accounts>

Origin of MUDDLE

probably from obsolete Dutch moddelen, from Middle Dutch, from modde mud; akin to Middle Low German mudde

First Known Use: 1676

Related to MUDDLE

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

Antonyms: arrange, array, dispose, draw up, marshal (also marshall), order, organize, range, regulate, straighten (up), tidy

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

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with MUDDLE

cuddle, fuddle, huddle, puddle, ruddle