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
Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 8 Jan. 2026
However, since last summer’s expensive overhaul of the playing squad, the waters have become muddied.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 5 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
Big Think, 11 Feb. 2026
The antitrust sentiment in DC toward Netflix, while muddied, isn’t necessarily favorable, and individual states will no doubt want to make their own voices heard in the coming weeks.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 10 Feb. 2026
The distinction may seem straightforward, but the waters between partisan and racial gerrymandering are muddied.
—Literary Hub, 9 Feb. 2026
Fast-forward to Jim Cramer's Sunday column — about 1½ weeks later and a lot of investor selling later — the Microsoft situation remains muddied.
—Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 9 Feb. 2026
Economists warned that the overall economic picture remains muddied, including by statistical quirks and the aftereffects of the government shutdown this past fall, which disrupted the data that feeds into CPI.
—Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
As the series unfolds, the moral terrain grows increasingly muddied.
—Virgie Tovar, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Rain on parade morning muddied things for engineers and decorators.
—Gavin J. Quinton, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2026
But, the decision was muddied after the administration appealed to the Supreme Court, which decided that the directives to terminate awards related to DEI were likely unlawful but that individual researchers would have to take their complaints to federal claims court.
—Jonathan Wosen, STAT, 29 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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
However, since last summer’s expensive overhaul of the playing squad, the waters have become muddied.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 5 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
In more mature planetary nebulae — or even in preplanetary nebulae that are closer to the end of their preplanetary stage (with hotter stars powering them) — the ejection process has been muddied by a thousand years or more of earlier ejecta being overtaken by faster-moving, more recent ejecta.
—Big Think, 11 Feb. 2026
The antitrust sentiment in DC toward Netflix, while muddied, isn’t necessarily favorable, and individual states will no doubt want to make their own voices heard in the coming weeks.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 10 Feb. 2026
The distinction may seem straightforward, but the waters between partisan and racial gerrymandering are muddied.
—Literary Hub, 9 Feb. 2026
Fast-forward to Jim Cramer's Sunday column — about 1½ weeks later and a lot of investor selling later — the Microsoft situation remains muddied.
—Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 9 Feb. 2026
Economists warned that the overall economic picture remains muddied, including by statistical quirks and the aftereffects of the government shutdown this past fall, which disrupted the data that feeds into CPI.
—Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
As the series unfolds, the moral terrain grows increasingly muddied.
—Virgie Tovar, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Rain on parade morning muddied things for engineers and decorators.
—Gavin J. Quinton, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2026
But, the decision was muddied after the administration appealed to the Supreme Court, which decided that the directives to terminate awards related to DEI were likely unlawful but that individual researchers would have to take their complaints to federal claims court.
—Jonathan Wosen, STAT, 29 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muddied
Adjective
-
Visit our website Republicans, by contrast, offer a muddled message.—
Neetu Arnold,
Washington Post,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Why is the messaging so muddled here?—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
An Aussie was the winner, but Jaelin Kauf got the silver and Liz Lemley (not to be confused with 30 Rock’s Liz Lemon) won the B final for the bronze.—
John Cherwa,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Compassionate care for patients with serious medical conditions should not be confused with broad commercialization of drugs.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The clip shows a dark-haired man whose face is blurred, though a goatee is somewhat visible.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
13 Feb. 2026
-
And once in detention, they might be given tools like the one Avirmed used, where the background of a video is automatically blurred.—
Valeria Ricciulli,
Refinery29,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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However, stuffing stinky or stained items away for months is a surefire way to permanently damage them.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Moldy plastic food containers can be reused after proper cleaning unless they are cracked, pitted, or heavily stained by mold.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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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
-
He was puzzled by friends who bought band T-shirts and obsessed over concerts.—
Shayla Love,
New Yorker,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Store employees were puzzled about any alleged involvement with El Primo.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
My small room seemed to be visibly clouded by the stink of my body and the stink of my superfluous thinking.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Connecticut’s energy picture is clouded by its inability to get an adequate supply of natural gas, the main source of energy in the state and wider region.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The building burned to the ground and the soil has been scraped, but that blackened sago palm is still there, sprouting tons of new growth.—
Jeanette Marantos,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
There's no better tool for making biscuits, cornbread, or blackened chicken than a cast-iron skillet.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Muddied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muddied. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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