1
as in jumble
a state in which everything is out of order
things at the newly built school were all in a muddle on opening day
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2
as in daze
a state of mental confusion
I was in such a muddle after the accident that I didn't know where I was
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3
as in confusion
a state of mental uncertainty
the new, supposedly improved forms simply put taxpayers in a bigger muddle
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4
as in variety
an unorganized collection or mixture of various things
a muddle of old magazines piled on the shelves
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1
as in to confuse
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
a car shopper thoroughly muddled by too much well-meaning advice
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2
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
some mischievous brat had muddled the household accounts
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of muddle
airmail.news, 26 Oct. 2024
Microsoft is stepping in to try to straighten up this muddle of conceptually similar, executionally different technologies with a new API called DirectSR (the SR is for Super Resolution).
—Ars Technica, 29 Feb. 2024
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 8 May 2025
The easiest and most expensive way is to buy Scrappy’s Firewater Tincture, but there’s a half dozen ways to get heat into a drink, like muddling a pepper in the tin, or infusing the spirit.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for muddle
Noun
Or, even better, quadruple down on the lies, insults, and hours-long muddles of sentence-fragment non sequiturs that pass for campaign speeches (Donald Trump, 37.3 percent).
—airmail.news, 26 Oct. 2024
Microsoft is stepping in to try to straighten up this muddle of conceptually similar, executionally different technologies with a new API called DirectSR (the SR is for Super Resolution).
—Ars Technica, 29 Feb. 2024
Verb
Fresh mint can be steeped in teas, muddled for cocktails, or blended into desserts.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 8 May 2025
The easiest and most expensive way is to buy Scrappy’s Firewater Tincture, but there’s a half dozen ways to get heat into a drink, like muddling a pepper in the tin, or infusing the spirit.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for muddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muddle
Noun
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In jumbles of old stones that, to me, are barely legible as the remains of buildings, Cocon López could see the entire timeline of old Aké and how later people interacted with and repurposed what came before.—
Lizzie Wade,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 May 2025
-
Instead, voters themselves are jumbles of competing and sometimes contradictory interests.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Some of those who chose to evacuate didn’t do so promptly, and there was widespread confusion whether evacuation was necessary at all.—
Rong-Gong Lin II,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2025
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The end result of this copycat strategy was external confusion, internal demoralization, and financial underperformance.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
Noun
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The brand is sold in a variety of specialty stores as well as some larger retailers such as Public Lands and REI.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
3 June 2025
-
The selection covers a rich variety of narrative and aesthetic approaches, with a presence of comedies, genre and science fiction approaches, documentaries, and classic fiction works.—
Annika Pham,
Variety,
3 June 2025
Verb
-
Elections and Certifications Don’t confuse a benefit or B corporation with a B Corp.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
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The measures are set to take effect on Monday and have left many Haitians confused.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2025
Verb
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What Could Move The Market? Several factors could disrupt the current market calm: European Tariff Deadline: President Trump has postponed the implementation of a 50% tariff on European Union goods to July 9, 2025.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
-
An extended pause in scheduling student visas could lead to delays that may disrupt college, boarding-school or exchange students’ plans to enroll in summer and fall terms.—
Annie Ma,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2025
Noun
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The teaser at the end of this week’s hour-long episode promises bonafide flagship mess: Obnoxious guests, police coming onboard, deckhand Kyle apparently hooking up with a guest.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
3 June 2025
-
It’s been a rush, a whirlwind, a chaotic mess — all descriptors that could lovingly apply to the Ghouls music.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
1 June 2025
Noun
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May in Chicago this year will be remembered for a rare dust storm, a gloomy haze from Canadian wildfires and unseasonably chilly temperatures throughout.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
31 May 2025
-
For example, through high-resolution forecasts of solar irradiance, operators can anticipate fluctuations in sunlight caused by cloud cover, storms, or atmospheric haze.—
Renny Vandewege,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Noun
-
If driving through fog becomes inevitable, remember these safety guidelines: Moderate your speed: Slow down and allocate extra travel time to reach your destination safely.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
31 May 2025
-
In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business, and stop.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Muddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muddle. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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