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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Emotions boiled over earlier in the period after Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven crushed Hurricanes counterpart Alexander Nikishin with a huge hit that left the Russian dazed and needing help off the ice.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
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In his emotional breakdowns, Elliott buckles under his testy relationship with his mother Lynn and then wanders through gatherings and parties with a perpetually dazed expression.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Gasly seems faintly bewildered by the designation.—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Netizens were bewildered by the latest pivot, resulting in plenty of mockery on social media.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
Numerous cryptocurrency novices become bewildered by intricate decals and fluctuating percentages.—
Malana VanTyler,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Turner remained baffled why the broadcast giants — ABC, NBC and CBS — hadn't launched cable stations.—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
6 May 2026
-
The slow starts are baffling to Becht.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 May 2026
Adjective
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And Chetty noted that those kinds of sites can thrive on social media, where consumers are often distracted and more likely to make a quick purchase.—
Aaron Katersky,
ABC News,
8 May 2026
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After a brief interlude of distracted play, the game got vigorous and testy.—
Chang-rae Lee,
New Yorker,
3 May 2026
Verb
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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
-
Baer appeared perplexed by this coy pretense of innocence.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Charmed at first, Nella soon becomes confused and suspicious of her alleged ally as their approaches to racial bias and diversity begin to sharply diverge and the story, told through a past and present timeline, unravels with unexpected twists.—
Laura Zigman,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
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Westminster Mayor Chi Charlie Nguyen showed the new signage in a Facebook post that’s garnered more than 14,000 likes and comments combined — responses spanning from supportive and celebratory, to confused and inflammatory.—
Paris Barraza,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The red, purple or sometimes gold root vegetable — not to be confused with its white cousin, the sugar beet — is low-calorie and packed with nutrients and compounds linked to benefits, ranging from brain health to athletic performance.—
Teresa Mull,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
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Companion plants with strong odors are used to confuse pests or mask the scent of crops so insect pests cannot find them.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Addle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/addle. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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