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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025
This muddle stems from a deeper conceptual problem.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 21 Feb. 2026
The message gets muddled but this eco-conscious journey is charming.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for muddle
Noun
Trump is trying to turn that muddle into a single demand for cheaper, thirstier trucks.
—Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025
This muddle stems from a deeper conceptual problem.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Verb
That has muddled the overall picture.
—Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 21 Feb. 2026
The message gets muddled but this eco-conscious journey is charming.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for muddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muddle
Noun
-
Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
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The result also spotlights conference championships’ awkward fit in the current system, particularly given the fact that conference expansion has led to jumbles atop each league’s standings.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
7 Dec. 2025
Noun
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And there’s still almost an hour of film left to go, in which everyone, including the audience, is in a sort of hallucinatory, post traumatic daze — but even the relative comfort of that won’t last long.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Now the state, if not region, is in a daze.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Supporters argue that maintaining a consistent time year-round would reduce confusion, improve safety and enhance productivity.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
7 Mar. 2026
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Likely in response to the confusion, prominent cleric Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi on Saturday urged Iran’s Assembly of Experts to act quickly to name a new supreme leader.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Purple is the classic color of the intensely fragrant flowers of this species, but varieties that bloom in blue, lavender, and pink are also available.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
6 Mar. 2026
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Although the restaurant has served a wide variety of dishes over the years, none have captured locals' hearts and stomachs like Workingman's Friend's enormous, nap-inducing double cheeseburgers.—
Bradley Hohulin,
IndyStar,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the fall of 2023, Yanxiao joined Tsinghua University, where his research confused professors who were accustomed to more conventional disciplinary lines.—
Chang Che,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
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But the notice sent last spring was so vague and confusing that few people used it to object.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Still, the broader bond rout reflects anxiety about the global economy after crude oil surged toward $120 a barrel, up almost 80% since the Iran war began and disrupted shipments from the Middle East.—
Marcus Wong,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
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Beijing may need to look elsewhere for supply if Iran’s exports are disrupted, another factor that could increase energy prices.—
Alex Veiga,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But amid the mess of UCLA’s 72-59 win over 14th-seeded Rutgers was a slippery star point guard in the middle of one of his masterworks, not only lifting the Bruins to victory but passing and rebounding and defending his way into the Big Ten tournament record books.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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However, that kind of financially freewheeling behavior has placed the Dolphins in their present cap hell, dwelling in an accounting mess the franchise will spend the next season pinching pennies for, forced to navigate their way out of.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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No longer fogged by the haze of a rebuild and a young quarterback.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
6 Mar. 2026
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In 1972, Hannes (Enzo Brumm), a gangly farm boy adrift in a hedonistic haze of hormones and counterculture, stumbles upon a revelation through his contact with a love interest’s geranium.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Muddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muddle. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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