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
Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025
This muddle stems from a deeper conceptual problem.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
Ken Holland, general manager, B Holland arrived on the scene of a muddling franchise that had lost four straight first-round series to the same opponent.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 7 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
But don’t muddle their season up by questioning their organizational philosophy.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
Ken Holland, general manager, B Holland arrived on the scene of a muddling franchise that had lost four straight first-round series to the same opponent.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 7 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
-
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
-
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
-
Adding to the sense of confusion, police said that the twins frequently share clothes and use the same phone numbers and ID documents.—
Chas Newkey-Burden,
TheWeek,
22 Feb. 2026
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Pausing PreCheck risked significant delays and frustration at airports like LAX, where passengers encountered closed lanes, long lines and confusion on Sunday morning.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But the wider variety in the group stage, slightly counterintuitively, creates less variety at the business end of the tournament.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Grab ‘em in black (pictured above) and a variety of colors, including gray, navy, and berry, though prices vary by style, and keep scrolling for more comfortable work pants, below.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Restaurants that have a smaller 3% charge to cover healthcare might leave customers confused on how to proceed.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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Netflix representatives have been warning investors not to confuse the expiration of the Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period with regulatory clearance, citing examples where DOJ investigations have continued, per a note from Guggenheim Securities this week.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While fears over how artificial intelligence models from Anthropic and OpenAI could disrupt a myriad of industries — especially software firms — have churned markets in recent weeks, the broader S&P 500 isn’t far off from its all-time record level.—
Hugh Son,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Authorities and witnesses reported burning vehicles, road blockades and attacks meant to disrupt security forces and restrict movement.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Small fixes prevent messes as information-gathering Mercury turns retrograde in your 6th House of Wellness, nudging you to refine routines and rest your body and mind.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Feb. 2026
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The split and spin a la NBCUniversal and Versant, which would also send the Turner assets to a Discovery Global standalone company, remains on track as the boards of directors and shareholders sort this mess out.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Shrouded in a thick haze, Titan is about half the size of Earth and even larger than Mercury — so massive that its gravitational pull makes Saturn wobble and tilt.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
23 Feb. 2026
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A little more than 42 miles away through the haze is Iraq’s tri-point border with Turkey and Iran.—
Nicola Chilton,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Muddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muddle. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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