1
as in confused
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
my mind had been thoroughly muddied by the long hours of exacting work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in blurred
to make (something) unclear to the understanding
that argument is irrelevant and will just muddy the issue we're trying to resolve
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stained
to make dirty
forgot to take off our shoes and accidentally muddied the kitchen floor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of muddied
Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2026
There is a desperate need to protect first-party data, which becomes muddied when bots, rather than humans, navigate a site.
—Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 20 Apr. 2026
San Antonio has three ball handlers capable of running offense in a postseason that begs teams to fight through muddied possessions.
—The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2026
Our photo shoot takes place in his vineyards, and Cucinelli makes the short drive there himself behind the wheel of a muddied silver Rolls-Royce.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 8 Jan. 2026
The line between law enforcement and partisan vindictiveness can also become muddied.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Her feet are bare, the toenails a little muddied.
—Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
Computers, desks, a washer and dryer were among the belongings in the muddied basement that were wrecked in the storm.
—Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
The opposing trades offer a perspective on what could be a make-or-break moment for the precious metal as geopolitics remain unpredictable and the interest-rate outlook gets muddied as well.
—Oliver Renick, CNBC, 26 May 2026
But talk of Taiwan has been muddied a little by Xi’s determination to modernize the People’s Liberation Army.
—Yan Bennett, The Conversation, 15 May 2026
The entrance of the American streamers into the factual drama space has muddied the waters in terms of defining a show’s success, according to Jeff Pope, who made his first streamer show last year.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
Voters say campaigns have muddied the waters on the issue, from contradictory direct mail campaigns to a leading ballot question.
—Jahd Khalil, NPR, 20 Apr. 2026
It isn't muddied by anything else or other flavors.
—Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2026
The presentation is muddied a bit by the strong bass and lack of stereo separation, which crowds the lower registers (something that’s not helped by the recording's acoustics).
—Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2026
Former Managing Director Fabio Paratici being suspended for most of his time as Spurs’ chief decision-maker muddied the waters further.
—Joe Prince-Wright, NBC news, 13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
During a nearly four-hour Friday hearing in Mecklenburg County small claims court, Jackson and Agape’s attorneys parsed through a muddied timeline that involved verbal agreements between Ball, Jackson and either Cam Newton or his father, Cecil Newton.
—Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2026
There is a desperate need to protect first-party data, which becomes muddied when bots, rather than humans, navigate a site.
—Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 20 Apr. 2026
San Antonio has three ball handlers capable of running offense in a postseason that begs teams to fight through muddied possessions.
—The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2026
Our photo shoot takes place in his vineyards, and Cucinelli makes the short drive there himself behind the wheel of a muddied silver Rolls-Royce.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 8 Jan. 2026
The line between law enforcement and partisan vindictiveness can also become muddied.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Her feet are bare, the toenails a little muddied.
—Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
Computers, desks, a washer and dryer were among the belongings in the muddied basement that were wrecked in the storm.
—Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Verb
Porter also may have muddied the waters with progressive supporters by wavering on positions like minimum wage increases, overtime for farmworkers and her support for single-payer health insurance, according to Lorena Gonzalez, president of the California Federation of Labor Unions.
—Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
The opposing trades offer a perspective on what could be a make-or-break moment for the precious metal as geopolitics remain unpredictable and the interest-rate outlook gets muddied as well.
—Oliver Renick, CNBC, 26 May 2026
But talk of Taiwan has been muddied a little by Xi’s determination to modernize the People’s Liberation Army.
—Yan Bennett, The Conversation, 15 May 2026
The entrance of the American streamers into the factual drama space has muddied the waters in terms of defining a show’s success, according to Jeff Pope, who made his first streamer show last year.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
Voters say campaigns have muddied the waters on the issue, from contradictory direct mail campaigns to a leading ballot question.
—Jahd Khalil, NPR, 20 Apr. 2026
It isn't muddied by anything else or other flavors.
—Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2026
The presentation is muddied a bit by the strong bass and lack of stereo separation, which crowds the lower registers (something that’s not helped by the recording's acoustics).
—Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2026
Former Managing Director Fabio Paratici being suspended for most of his time as Spurs’ chief decision-maker muddied the waters further.
—Joe Prince-Wright, NBC news, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muddied
Adjective
-
Guests still arrive early, order a brandy Old Fashioned—made the local way, without muddled fruit—and settle in for the experience.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
To wit, Tuesday’s primary—particularly the free-for-all campaign for governor to succeed Gavin Newsom—remains too muddled to call, with millions of outstanding ballots likely yet to be counted.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Some women who filed lawsuits against Ortega reported they had been confused about whether demeaning or uncomfortable actions the doctor engaged in during exams was within the bounds of necessary medical behavior.—
Emily Hoerner,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2026
-
MacT’s ability to communicate and his intelligent verbal should not be confused for a soft approach.—
Allan Mitchell,
New York Times,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Spielberg, who inducted the singer-songwriter into the Hall of Fame, praised the power of authentic storytelling in an age increasingly blurred by algorithms and artificial intelligence.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
-
The lines defining where a digital transaction ends and a physical retail experience begins have blurred into irrelevance.—
Fairchild Studio,
Footwear News,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
In another video published by B’Tselem capturing the moments after the incident, Sam’s father can be seen standing by the car, cradling his baby, whose bright yellow clothing can be seen stained with blood.—
Sarah Dean,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
-
Every blue jersey will be stained with blood by the end of the match.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Frail elderly women, swathed in headscarves and saris, worshipped while sitting on puddled pavement near corroded metal changing lockers plastered with ads for Glow & Lovely skin cream.—
Norma Meyer,
Oc Register,
4 Feb. 2026
-
This length is easier to maintain and avoids the tripping hazards of puddled fabric while still looking polished.—
Sophie Flaxman,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
At first, Gulati was puzzled by the idea.—
Neha Bhatt,
NPR,
13 June 2026
-
The Braves swapped out catchers Thursday, a move that puzzled some fans because there wasn’t a clear explanation.—
Gabriel Burns,
AJC.com,
5 June 2026
Verb
-
The prospect of flying Artemis III next year was further clouded by the May 28 explosion of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket at the vehicle’s only launch pad in Florida, causing catastrophic damage to the facilities there.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
9 June 2026
-
Black plumes of smoke clouded the skies as thousands of participants arrived in the city.—
Zahra Ullah,
CNN Money,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
The shrimp basket at B&J's Steak and Seafood includes a half pound of shrimp fried, grilled, blackened or boiled.—
Bill Dawers - For the AJC,
AJC.com,
2 June 2026
-
Look for blackened, dim, and flickering bulbs during your inspections and replace those as well.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Muddied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muddied. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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