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
Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
Most of his 30-touch games in 2025 came in the first half of the season when the 49ers were most injury-addled at receiver and tight end.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 23 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
In mid-August, the Governor’s official X account began mocking the President in his own addled, grandiose, all-caps style.
—Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
Most of his 30-touch games in 2025 came in the first half of the season when the 49ers were most injury-addled at receiver and tight end.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 23 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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The exoplanet's atmosphere contains gases like water, sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide -- which can smell like rotten eggs, especially when burned.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
16 Mar. 2026
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But it’s most often used in a more contemporary story as an ancestral home of an ancient, perhaps even rotten Establishment.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The boyfriend is dead and Betty helps Laura, relatively unharmed but dazed, back to her house.—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
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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
Verb
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The decision has baffled Apatow’s team and inner circle.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
20 Mar. 2026
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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
Adjective
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That said, ensuring community pets are thoroughly taken care of—perhaps even spoiled— is a cause many feel called to support.—
Wendy Rose Gould,
Martha Stewart,
15 Mar. 2026
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The spousal death brings Madison Avenue queen Stacy out of New York City with her urban-spoiled daughters and granddaughters.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Desmond is wonderful in the part, finding sympathy and just the right amount of bewildered charisma without tipping into caddishness.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
23 Mar. 2026
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Be careful about coming on so strong that others are bewildered or defensive.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After the crash, passengers were confused and screaming in panic, Liquori said.—
Elizabeth Chuck,
NBC news,
23 Mar. 2026
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The verified account, @realanndowd (not to be confused with Bald Ann Dowd), made its first post on March 18 — finally ending the torturous 5,642-day dry spell of there being no Ann Dowd on the app.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
20 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
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Officers unzipped the bag and found a decomposed head and torso, according to the documents.—
Minyvonne Burke,
NBC news,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Christina Alcorn was shocked to learn that the distracted driver who fatally struck her 15-year-old child, walking to school, would face nothing more than a misdemeanor.—
Jessie Balmert,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
18 Mar. 2026
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Lawmakers debated about distracted driving in an age when drivers are sometimes on a Zoom call while driving in the car.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Addled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/addled. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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