as in dazed
suffering from mental confusion
my brain grew more and more addle as I made my way through the tax instructions
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to bewilder
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
after slipping on the ice, Bethany was so addled that she left her groceries where they'd fallen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of addle
Ann Hornaday, Twin Cities, 25 July 2019
Marco Della Cava, USA Today, 10 June 2025
The surfer is increasingly addled by visions that come to him in harrowing split-second blackouts.
—Glenn Kenny, New York Times, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for addle
Adjective
Soon enough, the foursome are in the back of that truck in an adventure that begins as a moneymaking scheme and promises to become a heroic journey into the heart of white supremacy at its most virulent and addle-minded.
—Ann Hornaday, Twin Cities, 25 July 2019
Verb
By 1971, with the band addled by drug use and internal strife, Sly and the Family Stone would increasingly lose tour bookings and fail to produce music that matched the songs of just a few years prior.
—Marco Della Cava, USA Today, 10 June 2025
The surfer is increasingly addled by visions that come to him in harrowing split-second blackouts.
—Glenn Kenny, New York Times, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for addle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for addle
Adjective
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This led to a surreal sight at 5-0 in the fourth set, with Safiullin flat on his back receiving treatment for a hip injury while a dazed Ruud tried to revive himself with an ice towel.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
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Moments later, dazed residents staggered out as others rushed in to help.—
Rania Abouzeid,
New Yorker,
21 May 2026
Verb
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Former Republican state senator Jeff Brandes, who now leads the Florida Policy Project, said he was bewildered by the governor's proposal.—
Jim DeFede,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
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Gasly seems faintly bewildered by the designation.—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Karl-Anthony Towns, who was on the podium with him, took off his glasses and looked at his teammate with a bewildered expression.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
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Everyone was so relieved to see how bewildered everyone else was that the feeling in this place was almost festive.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Verb
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While some were baffled by the posts amid Bear’s claims, others pointed out the ability to schedule posts, depending on the type of account.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
29 May 2026
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In another excerpt from View from the East Wing, she is similarly baffled.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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The stage then ended with a shock victory for the breakaway, with an undecorated quartet holding off a distracted peloton by 10 seconds — Uno-X Mobility’s Fredrik Dversnes winning the sprint.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
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Ardito said inattentive or distracted drivers are a serious hazard for cyclists trying to share the road, regardless of whether there are bike lanes.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
24 May 2026
Verb
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As a longtime rider I, too, am perplexed by regular displays of poor customer service by CTA employees.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
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As Season 3 of Euphoria continues to stir up some controversy, one of the show’s stars is perplexed by Cassie’s (Sydney Sweeney) OnlyFans storyline.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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During the initial investigation, authorities determined that the man appeared confused and was experiencing a mental health crisis.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
30 May 2026
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Even current and former DeSantis communications staffers appeared confused online about it.—
Lawrence Mower,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2026
Verb
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And then beyond that, there’s Hackney Wick, which is not to be confused with traditional Hackney, also on the canal, filled with very cool community initiatives.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
30 May 2026
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Because of their similar flowers, this plant is sometimes confused with bigleaf hydrangea.—
Marie Iannotti,
The Spruce,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Addle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/addle. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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