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
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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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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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However, compost can start to smell like rotten eggs, ammonia, or worse if the composting process goes awry or the compost pile has become imbalanced in some way.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 May 2025
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There are two types of repellents: Taste, which often contains capsaicin and requires the animal to take a nibble; and odor, which is sulfur-based and smells like rotten eggs.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
10 May 2025
Adjective
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The band played everything a little slower, and the songs drifted through the theatre with a dazed elegance.—
Hua Hsu,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
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The museum show did happen — though some of what’s in it is fabricated, including a few fake ads for Apple and Absolut Vodka that the band very much did not shoot — but everyone in attendance seems a little dazed and confused about it, including the band.—
Alissa Wilkinson,
New York Times,
2 May 2025
Adjective
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But Evander Kane banked a puck off Esa Lindell’s skate and past a bewildered DeSmith less than three minutes later to restore the two-goal lead.—
Daniel Nugent-Bowman,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
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Comments Jeffrey Dean Morgan was baffled, bewildered, and befuddled.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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The Justice Department similarly told the Supreme Court that some lower courts are confused about how to evaluate multiple IQ tests under Supreme Court rules for what counts as cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
7 June 2025
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It’s become the subject of much conversation at Variety, and Erickson is similarly confused.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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While Walker is so distracted, a high-speed chase involving the other four cops in on his dirty-money scheme is unfolding across town.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2025
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Eventually, doctors crafted a diagnosis that could explain distracted and excitable personalities, and a consensus formed about how to treat them.—
Adam B. Kushner,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Signs of dehydration, including: dry mouth and throat, infrequent peeing and feeling dizzy when standing up.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
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Spinning is what dizzy people do, and Lopez is not that.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
12 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Addled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/addled. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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