1
as in rotten
having undergone organic breakdown
addled eggs found on a long abandoned hen's nest
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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 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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of addled
Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 16 Jan. 2026
In his addled mind, the millions of people in these cities who depend on federal funds for health, transit, education and whatever else are only pawns in a broader struggle to consolidate his own authority by any means necessary.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
That decision, even if only for exploratory purposes, should be left to a Congress whose majority isn’t addled by either devotion to Trump or fear of him.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for addled
Adjective
The punk band have announced the release of a feature length documentary, titled 40 Years of Fuckin’ Up, that will detail their storied history as drug-addled teen punks-turned-icons.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 16 Jan. 2026
In his addled mind, the millions of people in these cities who depend on federal funds for health, transit, education and whatever else are only pawns in a broader struggle to consolidate his own authority by any means necessary.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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
That decision, even if only for exploratory purposes, should be left to a Congress whose majority isn’t addled by either devotion to Trump or fear of him.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for addled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for addled
Adjective
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As Yasmin takes the reins of Whitney’s blackmail empire, the rotten core of the whole capitalist system is laid bare.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Residents have been suffering with structural issues, water leaks, and rotten floors, and the residents of the middle tier of the building were ordered to vacate with two days' notice in June of last year, Preservation Chicago said.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
When Sneaky Snook in his mail truck happened upon the wreckage near the boundary of Meredith Downs, sheep were scattered along the roadside and the fence, bleating, dazed.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Mar. 2026
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Still, some songs can disrupt our dazed habit of barely listening and give us something to participate in.—
Mitch Therieau,
New Yorker,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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One administrator told me that he was baffled, but that the embassy staff seemed confident that something would come of it.—
Chang Che,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Kokuho was her very first film, and the prospect of attending the Academy Awards astonished and baffled her.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Smart, capable and quick-witted, Toha’s current joy comes from her relationship with Nelly (Khadija Ahmed), the spoiled granddaughter of her employer (Hanan Youssef), a tetchy, elderly diabetic.—
Alissa Simon,
Variety,
25 Feb. 2026
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Trump may be a little spoiled, as the Republican-majority high court has supported most of his positions.—
Tom Zirpoli,
Baltimore Sun,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The tragedy at first bewildered law enforcement in both states, as investigators were unsure why Miller traveled to Utah or why the three women were killed.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Olivier tried successfully to get the reader to understand how a gentle, pacific young man could come to kill more than a thousand people, and so capturing the tone and empathetic portrayal not only of Simo Häyhä and his colleagues but also of the often-bewildered Russian soldiers was essential.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Carlson clearly got confused between the arsonist and the fire brigade.—
Calev Myers,
New York Daily News,
9 Mar. 2026
-
They are confused by all the activity.—
Via Chronicle Books,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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According to Silverman, the officers unzipped the bag and saw a decomposed head and torso.—
Kyung Lah,
CNN Money,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Officers unzipped the bag and found a decomposed head and torso, according to the documents.—
Minyvonne Burke,
NBC news,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
And disrupted sleep can spell distracted or fatigued driving.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
5 Mar. 2026
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Gatz attributed the increases to excessive speed and distracted driving.—
Barbara Hoberock,
Oklahoma Voice,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Addled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/addled. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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