1
as in rotten
having undergone organic breakdown
addled eggs found on a long abandoned hen's nest
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dazed
suffering from mental confusion
one of the more addled audience members confused Ghana with Guyana
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in bewildered
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of addled
Colton Pouncy, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
Enright’s portrait of the mother is terrific — entitled, manipulative, addled, forlorn — as is her characterisation of each of the siblings whose personalities are formed, or deformed, in their mother’s shadow.
—Tomi Obaro, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2024
Psychiatrists testified for both the state and the defense that a person in psychosis is prone to make statements based on a belief in their addled mind.
—Ron Wilkins, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Nov. 2024
The episode hinges on Novak’s ability to sell Nandor’s transformation from seemingly addled while lecturing a warehouse full of mannequins, to roguishly determined when commanding his followers to set Dartmouth University on fire.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for addled
Adjective
The Lions’ offense, conversely, never seemed addled as quarterback Jared Goff threw for 303 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions.
—Colton Pouncy, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
Enright’s portrait of the mother is terrific — entitled, manipulative, addled, forlorn — as is her characterisation of each of the siblings whose personalities are formed, or deformed, in their mother’s shadow.
—Tomi Obaro, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2024
Psychiatrists testified for both the state and the defense that a person in psychosis is prone to make statements based on a belief in their addled mind.
—Ron Wilkins, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Nov. 2024
The episode hinges on Novak’s ability to sell Nandor’s transformation from seemingly addled while lecturing a warehouse full of mannequins, to roguishly determined when commanding his followers to set Dartmouth University on fire.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for addled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for addled
Adjective
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The odor comes from a toxic gas that’s colorless and smells like rotten eggs.—
Tammy Murga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 July 2025
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If the weather’s rotten, the show simply moves inside to the main USJ auditorium.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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In footage shared by local media, he was seen bloodied, dazed and clutching his mobile phone.—
Diaa Hadid,
NPR,
13 June 2025
-
The implication that Pax might be dealing with some issues came up again last month when he was photographed by the paparazzi in the early morning hours, stumbling out of the famed Chateau Marmont hotel in Los Angeles, with a dazed grin and needing to be held up by friends, the Daily Mail reported.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
12 June 2025
Adjective
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A couple was left bewildered after discovering an unfamiliar cat helping itself to their own pet's food in a now-viral TikTok video that has left viewers on the platform in hysterics.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 June 2025
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Officials in other places that had voted overwhelmingly for President Trump but were far from the front lines of the immigration debate were simply bewildered.—
Campbell Robertson,
New York Times,
31 May 2025
Adjective
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The home appeared on Zillow Gone Wild, a Facebook page that highlights unique houses on the real estate market, and people were a little confused about the interior style.—
TJ Macias
July 10,
Miami Herald,
10 July 2025
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Everyone was very confused about whether the watch’s band could be resized because only one kind of wrist was shown in the commercial.—
Seth Reiss,
New Yorker,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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Guevara had warrants issued for his arrest in connection with charges of distracted driving, failing to obey a traffic control device and reckless driving, which were secured by the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office on June 20.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2025
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For employers, this means a labor force comprised of people who are anxious, distracted, or simply not there, said Stacy Greiner, CEO of on-demand pay platform DailyPay.—
Susan Caminiti,
CNBC,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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In a season-one episode, Taylor raised a concrete grate at Homestead 2 and suddenly felt dizzy and nauseous.—
Matt Zoller Seitz,
Vulture,
30 June 2025
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The key, besides constant hydration, is to not get dizzy or distracted mid-flow.—
Aemilia Madden,
Glamour,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Addled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/addled. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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