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
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
The Iran conflict has muddied expectations of imminent US Federal Reserve rate cuts, with rising oil prices reviving inflation fears and forcing investors to reassess how quickly the Fed can ease policy.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 9 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
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
The Iran conflict has muddied expectations of imminent US Federal Reserve rate cuts, with rising oil prices reviving inflation fears and forcing investors to reassess how quickly the Fed can ease policy.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 9 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muddied
Adjective
-
Having stabilised as mid-table regulars, this was an opportunity to capitalise on a muddled middle of the table.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
-
The end result on those possessions is a muddled mess, which leads to bad shots or live ball turnovers, which lead to easy points going the other way.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Statlander was dazed and confused when Thekla nailed her with a nasty stomp.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
25 May 2026
-
She’s continuously confused about its premise, will burst into tears for no reason, and truly sees it as an opportunity to finally make friends in Rhode Island — no matter how misguided that intention may be.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
25 May 2026
Verb
-
That person moved to Montclair or Hudson or Bucks County and is on a Zoom call right now, background blurred, wondering why their new hire seems so lost.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
-
Retailers must now react quickly to cost-conscious shoppers and invest in technology to prepare for a new reality where the line between politics and retail is becoming increasingly blurred, Minkow said.—
Elsa Ohlen,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Not every paramilitary fighter is stained by the corruption of the Shia elite or implicated in spilling innocent blood in recent years.—
Nabil Salih,
Time,
26 May 2026
-
Nobody can resist a saucy, savory sloppy joe, but you're bound to leave a sloppy joe meal with at least one article of clothing stained.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
22 May 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
-
Two experts said they were puzzled by the release records.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
30 May 2026
-
Tim Ream is looking at you, puzzled.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Huntington Beach has scrapped a brand management and marketing contract plan that had been clouded by community concerns over transparency and cronyism.—
Claire Wang,
Oc Register,
23 May 2026
-
Escaping into a world clouded with fantasy — scenarios that, at least on this earthly plane, could never happen — is a fun way to temporarily pretend.—
Samantha Sasso,
Vulture,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Inside, boards blackened by smoke and sweat, the air sweet with cane and forgetting.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2026
-
Sepsis had left his skin peeling and his body blackened, including parts of his fingers, ears, lips and lower legs.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Muddied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muddied. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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