1
as in rotten
having undergone organic breakdown
addled eggs found on a long abandoned hen's nest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Feb. 2026
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
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
Sometimes spliced into proceedings by editors Dávid Jancsó and Ilka Janka Nagy with blink-like brevity, these flashbacks seemingly connote the intrusive thoughts and blackouts of an addled, recuperating mind.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Feb. 2026
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
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
-
Dahl’s books are fanciful and imaginative, but also dark, cynical, and mean (and, unfortunately, often reflected his real-life ugliness), spinning stories in which gruesome and unpleasant fates befell rotten kids, and adults were frequently selfish, cruel, and not to be trusted.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Repair Or Replace Damaged Parts Replace any boards or beams that are structurally damaged, cracked or split, rotten, or severely splintered.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
No one is immune to the lampooning, even the dazed and confused sons and daughters who get sidelined and pawned off due to their parents’ ambitions, neuroses and desires to achieve greatness.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The boyfriend is dead and Betty helps Laura, relatively unharmed but dazed, back to her house.—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Late Show host appeared genuinely baffled by the president’s current poll numbers during his opening monologue on Tuesday, mostly due to the 22 percent of Americans who are still throwing their support behind the 79-year-old former reality star.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Apr. 2026
-
No one, not even Jason — who is baffled at the galley’s sudden collapse — is more surprised at Ellie’s outburst than Ben.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The bins — often containing wheat, oats or barley — also bring additional risks because grain dust accumulation can contribute to fire hazards, spoiled grain can expose workers to potentially toxic substances and falling into the grain can quickly swallow and suffocate a person.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Even the leader of the free world can exhibit the impetuous, manipulative, disruptive behaviors of a spoiled child — behaviors that go beyond classroom disruptions and that can potentially disrupt the entire world.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This sometimes left audience members bewildered about what had actually happened.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The passenger in the back eventually looked up from her phone, noticed Louise, and locked eyes with this bewildered-looking woman blocking the crosswalk.—
Catherine Lacey,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The south London BBQers were confused.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Microphones are a tool for speaking out loud, or singing, before a crowd, and Lee uses the object as a symbol of her own desire to speak and be understood, even when she is confused by competing cultures and unsure of her own voice.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
From having the viscous juices of decomposed leaves that kept her plump leak through a tear in her side, as happened to a few of her siblings.—
María Ospina,
The Dial,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The Livonia Police Department is asking for the public's help in identifying the badly decomposed body of a man found March 28, partially submerged in the creek near Hines Drive and Levan Road.—
Georgea Kovanis,
Freep.com,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that distracted driving was responsible for 3,275 traffic deaths in 2023.—
Bailey Allen,
Cape Cod Times,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Spending habits can also help determine a player’s level of maturity, revealing whether they’re disciplined or become distracted.—
Rob Maaddi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Addled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/addled. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
