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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
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 In these novels, the main character has been so absurdly addled by a (late-revealed) trauma that everyday human interactions are wildly aglow with (at first) terror or (later) manic-pixie wonder. — Los Angeles Times, 14 July 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
  1. rotten
  2. dazed
  3. baffled
  4. spoiled
  5. bewildered
  6. confused
  7. decomposed
  8. distracted
Adjective
  • Previous Evil pics have been rotten on Rotten Tomatoes with critics.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2026
  • If the produce’s skin is moldy, slimy, or rotten, it should be discarded regardless of type, as mold can penetrate beyond the visible surface.
    — Bridget Shirvell, Martha Stewart, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of rotten
Adjective
  • Laiken Randolph appeared dazed, and possibly on drugs, officers remarked.
    — Brittany Wallman, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Hsu maps a Los Angeles of leftovers and castoffs; portraits of friends and strangers in the street are full of dazed, inscrutable expressions.
    — Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of dazed
Verb
  • Some Broward commissioners said they are baffled as to why statewide prosecutors would be concerned about the county contracts or their desire to save money by cutting ties with the Sheriff’s Office.
    — Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Apple's stubborn insistence on keeping base iPhones at 60Hz while budget Android phones offer zippier refresh rates has always baffled me.
    — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of baffled
Adjective
  • Towards the end of the episode, Abby (Hall) and Andrew Borden (Hunnam) get very sick after eating spoiled oysters — projectile vomiting and soiling their undergarments in the dining room.
    — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Sep. 2026
  • None of its marks seem to maintain their integrity for more than an inch or two without being fretted or spoiled.
    — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of spoiled
Adjective
  • Five o’clock Saturday, the Riverside Stadium and Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg is fist-pumping a half-bewildered but fully enthused home crowd.
    — Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • When kids first got online, parents were bewildered and alarmed, but kids, who tend to gravitate to new technology, found freedom in a space that was basically ungoverned.
    — Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of bewildered
Verb
  • But the decision left many in the football community confused, with an online petition started by alumnus Tim Hanrahan garnering more than 3,000 signatures.
    — Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • This is where things get messy, and many folks — oligarchs in particular — become invested in keeping the general voter confused.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 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
  • This is a film that allows, wants, even demands that the viewer become distracted, tired, and fidgety.
    — Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The driver was cited with distracted driving and failure to maintain a lane, and an internal investigation by MARTA has been launched, police said.
    — Irene Wright, USA Today, 15 Sep. 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 25 Sep. 2026.

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