muddle
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About Our Definitions: All forms of a word (noun, verb, etc.) are now displayed on one page.1mud·dle
verb \ˈmə-dəl\mud·dledmud·dling \ˈməd-liŋ, ˈmə-dəl-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-dəl-ər\ noun
See Examples of MUDDLE
- <a car shopper thoroughly muddled by too much well-meaning advice>
- <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
2muddle
nounDefinition of MUDDLE
1
: a state of especially mental confusion
2
: a confused mess
— mud·dly \ˈməd-lē, ˈmə-dəl-ē\ adjective
Examples of MUDDLE
- His papers were in a muddle.
- His mind was a muddle.
First Known Use of MUDDLE
circa 1818
Related to MUDDLE
- Synonyms
- chance-medley, confusion, disarrangement, disarray, dishevelment, disorder, disorderedness, disorderliness, disorganization, free-for-all, havoc, heck, hell, jumble, mare's nest, mess, messiness, misorder, chaos, muss, shambles, snake pit, tumble, welter
- Antonyms
- order, orderliness
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