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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Ars Technica, 29 Feb. 2024
This strategic muddle is the focus of discussion in regional capitals, as well as in Moscow and Beijing.
—Brett McGurk, Foreign Affairs, 22 Jan. 2020
German Lopez, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Tsushima writes in a fluid, ambiguous present tense that muddles the distance between past and present, self and other.
—Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for muddle
Noun
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
This strategic muddle is the focus of discussion in regional capitals, as well as in Moscow and Beijing.
—Brett McGurk, Foreign Affairs, 22 Jan. 2020
Verb
Trump’s announcement yesterday muddled things further.
—German Lopez, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Tsushima writes in a fluid, ambiguous present tense that muddles the distance between past and present, self and other.
—Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for muddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muddle
Noun
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Instead, voters themselves are jumbles of competing and sometimes contradictory interests.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
14 Feb. 2025
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Baker also leads the orchestra, which sounds grand — although the sound in the arts center’s Pugh Theater often left musicians, lead singers and chorus all at the same level, with actors speaking over all of it at the same time to create a sonic jumble.—
Matthew J. Palm,
Orlando Sentinel,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
This program was designed to provide shorter, clearer letters to reduce taxpayer confusion.—
Cindy McGhee,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
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Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
15 May 2025
Noun
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Its adaptable, low-profile design fits into a variety of spaces without the bulk of traditional units.—
Jon Stojan,
USA Today,
10 May 2025
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The product will come in at least five varieties – milk, dark, white, caramel and assorted – and will hit shelves in September.—
Amelia Lucas,
CNBC,
9 May 2025
Verb
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While no one should ever have confused the entertainment business with a warm binkie, the institutions themselves are in the new and awkward spot of having to justify their existence.—
Dana Harris-Bridson,
IndieWire,
12 May 2025
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All of the footage from The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon makes the show-within-a-show look silly, which the series confuses with humorousness.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2025
Verb
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Body temperatures reaching 104 degrees Fahrenheit can cause heatstroke, a condition that disrupts biological processes throughout the body.—
Sanket Jain,
Smithsonian Magazine,
16 May 2025
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In a particularly affecting scene, Laura pleads with a social worker who disrupts the sinister plot she’s been crafting.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
16 May 2025
Noun
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Another recent video on her page revealed this wasn't the last time her cat used a ball of yarn to cause a mess.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 May 2025
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Meanwhile, Charlie consults with Paige from set dec, who confirms that the team cleaned up the grisly mess at the house earlier that day.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
8 May 2025
Noun
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That cut fastball in the heart of the strike zone is the one Cal Raleigh hit through the haze to the seats beyond left field to give the Mariners the lead.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 May 2025
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Movies For Subscribers The 27 best movie theaters in Los Angeles Nov. 22, 2023 And so, aviation mayhem ensues, as Lucas fights off a coterie of bad guys through a haze of drugs and liquor.—
Katie Walsh,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2025
Noun
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The views of rooftops, treetops, and (if the fog cooperates) the Bay are nothing short of cinematic.—
David Hochman,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2025
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Zero visibility strategy: In cases of near-zero visibility due to dense fog, activate your hazard lights and seek a safe spot, like a nearby business parking lot, to pull over and stop.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
15 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Muddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muddle. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
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