muddle 1 of 2

noun

Definition of muddlenext
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

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in confusion
a state of mental uncertainty the new, supposedly improved forms simply put taxpayers in a bigger muddle

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in variety
an unorganized collection or mixture of various things a muddle of old magazines piled on the shelves

Synonyms & Similar Words

muddle

2 of 2

verb

ˈmə-dᵊl How to pronounce muddle (audio)
1
as in to confuse
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty a car shopper thoroughly muddled by too much well-meaning advice

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of some mischievous brat had muddled the household accounts

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of muddle
Noun
In the bottom of a tall glass, muddle 3 or 4 jalapeño slices. — Midwest Living, 14 May 2026 Now, researchers plan to extend their investigations to nearby early settlement sites to determine if Culasawani is a midden or muddle. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026
Verb
If the watermarks become a catch-all for any Claude use, from spellchecks to complete rewrites, Anthropic’s solution will likely frustrate users by going further than necessary to label content in ways that could inadvertently muddle provenance. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 13 Aug. 2026 That the film can’t see this is a sign of how muddled its politics are, especially in its treatment of the tension between nature and modernity. — Caspar Salmon, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for muddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muddle
  1. jumble
  2. daze
  3. confusion
  4. variety
  5. confuse
  6. disrupt
  7. mess
  8. haze
Noun
  • Arches and natural bridges sweep like buttresses from jumbles of rock, giving this landscape a mystical, cathedral-like quality.
    — Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.
    — Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of jumble
Noun
  • Everyone in town seemed to walk through that day in a daze; Leslie’s name was spoken in hushed whispers.
    — Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026
  • Kutsuna has an impish twinkle; Yamada mutely swans about in a daze like an opium fiend.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
Definition of daze
Noun
  • The third round of Premier League matches brought yet more controversy, including an unpunished kick to the head in a London derby and confusion around a goal disallowed for handball.
    — Graham Scott, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • In a work so dense with references, mistakes will sprout like crabgrass; write a big book on André Le Nôtre’s formal gardens and the earthworm experts will gather to deride your confusion.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of confusion
Noun
  • As, it should be said, has Vardy, with Burnley manager Nicky Hayen, when asked about his new signing’s qualities, pretty much describing the sort of variety that Wrexham need to add up front to become genuine challengers for automatic promotion.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Vienna’s signature wine, Wiener Gemischter Satz is a field blend made from at least three white grape varieties grown side by side, then harvested and fermented together.
    — Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of variety
Verb
  • The Polo Room Not to be confused with Ralph Lauren’s Polo Bar, the Polo Room takes its name from the actual sport—international polo star Nacho Figueras is a co-owner, and his Argentine heritage runs throughout the restaurant.
    — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
  • There’s no complicated touchscreen to confuse older family members or young kids, either.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of confuse
Verb
  • Goldman Sachs economist Daan Struyven warned in a recent note that prices could still reach $120 a barrel as the war, now in its seventh month, continues to disrupt shipping.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The officials in Kentucky, North Dakota, South Dakota, Georgia, New Hampshire and Kansas warned in an amicus curiae letter to the Supreme Court on Wednesday that late implementation of the rule could disrupt the midterms.
    — Violet Jira, Washington Post, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of disrupt
Noun
  • Plus, don’t miss out on handy finds like this handheld vacuum that makes quick work of small messes in tight spaces and an insulated Yeti tumbler that keeps water cold all day long.
    — Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2026
  • One of Amy’s charges is a mess of a young mother who has had all three of her children taken away from her by the state.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of mess
Noun
  • Officers followed the sounds of the gunfire to another floor, where a smoky haze limited their visibility.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The chip produced minimal haze and did not noticeably distort images viewed through it, suggesting that the material could work in optical systems placed directly in front of the eye.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of haze

Browse Nearby Words

muddiness
muddle
muddled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Muddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muddle. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of patina

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All