as in to confuse
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
the hotel staff is completely fuddled by the guest's bizarre requests
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Recent Examples of fuddle
In colliding with a new type of animal, a chemical that might once have served to fuddle the wits of pests has been transformed into a glittering lure.
—
Gareth Cook, Scientific American, 24 June 2020
Gareth Cook, Scientific American, 24 June 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fuddle
Verb
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Bryan was erroneously released when he was confused with another inmate with the same last name during the jail's overnight release process and his identity was not properly verified, according to the sheriff's office.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
20 Aug. 2025
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Children who have experienced traumatic stress may be restless, fidgety, or have trouble paying attention and staying organized, symptoms often confused with ADHD.—
Patricia Fersch,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Netflix’s new three-part docuseries Amy Bradley Is Missing, premiering July 16, explores the cold case that’s baffled the Bradley family and investigators for over 27 years.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
16 July 2025
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According to VanderWilk, when the shelter heard back from the microchip company and confirmed Trixie's registered owner, Olga Heigis, lived in Germany, they were baffled.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
15 July 2025
Verb
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The narrator and his wife find that their attachment to the charismatic and cryptic Chibi grows with the cat’s increasing visits, in a way that bewilders them but somehow bonds them closer together.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
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Similarly, the defensively bewildering 9-6 loss the Wild suffered to start Round 2 in Colorado set the tone for five games that would ultimately be their undoing.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Aryna Sabalenka being asked to dance after defeating Naomi Osaka in the French Open has one former American tennis star perplexed.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
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As a longtime rider I, too, am perplexed by regular displays of poor customer service by CTA employees.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
Verb
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This realization, resulting from placing old data from Voyager 2 under new scrutiny, could help explain several puzzling aspects of Uranus's magnetic envelope.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
10 Dec. 2025
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The decision to omit Roblox was seen by many Australians as a puzzling choice, given recent reports alleging children have been targeted by adult predators inside its games.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Mixing too many competing scents in the same area also muddles the experience, and strong essential oils like peppermint or cinnamon can quickly overload a space.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
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This muddled the entire process.—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
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What makes Frank’s work so celebrated and compelling is that her photo series are often straightforward in subject matter but rich in emotional complexity that can leave viewers discombobulated.—
Felicia Feaster,
AJC.com,
10 June 2026
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Richard Dreyfuss stars as an Indiana electric lineman/dad who gets discombobulated after a light from a passing UFO compels him to do weirdo things — like build a mountain replica inside of his home.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fuddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fuddle. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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