addled 1 of 2

adjective

ˈa-dᵊld How to pronounce addled (audio)
Definition of addlednext
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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addled

2 of 2

verb

past tense of addle
as in baffled
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of addled
Adjective
And imagine the bear, cornered in an unfamiliar lair, seeing the light of the only exit blocked by this larger attacker that did not howl or bark, but crawled silently toward him through the addled dogs. — Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026 In 2023, Hollywood released 29 sequels, as many as some of the peak years, and even released 25 sequels in the pandemic-addled 2021. — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 10 Aug. 2026
Verb
His character is spiritual, punctual and deeply religious, yet silently overseeing a very misogynistic, racist and drug-addled workforce. — ABC News, 29 July 2026 An environment addled by politics isn’t one most CEOs relish, Griffin, 57, told the Wall Street Journal’s Invest Live conference yesterday. — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for addled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for addled
  1. rotten
  2. dazed
  3. baffled
  4. spoiled
  5. bewildered
  6. confused
  7. decomposed
  8. distracted
Adjective
  • People who live near landfills, though, describe smelling rotten cabbage, rotten eggs and rotten fish, as well as ammonia and skunk.
    — Alex Cuadros, ProPublica, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Over the last decade, local government warehouses meant to store emergency food supplies have been found empty or filled with rotten supplies, largely because of corruption.
    — JOEL WUTHNOW, Foreign Affairs, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of rotten
Adjective
  • But the man simply stood there with a dazed expression on his face, swaying gently in the living room of their small, cramped flat, like a lone tree in the breeze.
    — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Laiken Randolph appeared dazed, and possibly on drugs, officers remarked.
    — Brittany Wallman, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of dazed
Verb
  • However, having gone through this first season, many are now baffled as to how the algorithm works.
    — Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2026
  • But, about eight days before the election, when Acker heard that Stevens was thinking about switching her endorsement from El-Sayed to the Republican Senate candidate, Mike Rogers, he was baffled.
    — Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of baffled
Adjective
  • Needless to say a lot of food was deemed spoiled and had to be thrown out.
    — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Staff caught the attack in progress before any supply was damaged, but going from spoiled groceries to the blood supply is a big escalation.
    — Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of spoiled
Adjective
  • For the first 12 minutes, the Bulls watched Brunson with the bewildered air of a student who forgot to study for a test.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The Heat awoke Tuesday as the NBA’s only 0-4 team and thoroughly bewildered about how a group that fashioned itself a contender could continue to perform so poorly.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of bewildered
Verb
  • The ballot paper was a large sheet, and I was confused by the plethora of party symbols printed on it.
    — Sonia Gandhi, Vanity Fair, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Critics have praised the book’s dark humor, though some have been confused by its elusive narrative.
    — Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of confused
Adjective
  • Two decomposed bodies have been found within five days at a park in western North Carolina, and both cases are classified as murders, according to investigators.
    — Mark Price July 26, Charlotte Observer, 26 July 2026
  • At a time when the Earth was bare, when there were no vertebrates, no trees, no leaves, no flowering plants, and no plants with seeds, millipedes were feeding on decaying mosses, decomposed slime, and primordial gunk.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 13 June 2026
Definition of decomposed
Adjective
  • Workers in uncomfortable gear can become distracted, struggle through demanding shifts, and lose confidence that their employer takes their safety seriously.
    — Allison Anderson, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Its opposition to intense Pluto could make a distracted response sting more than expected.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of distracted

Browse Nearby Words

addle
addled
addlepated
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Cite this Entry

“Addled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/addled. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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