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
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
In a time muddled by noise and packed schedules, many people are looking for a quiet spot to reset.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 24 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
The motivation behind their murder spree and AI fuckery is muddled at best.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
In a time muddled by noise and packed schedules, many people are looking for a quiet spot to reset.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for muddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muddle
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
Noun
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In the band’s heyday, Anthony Kiedis, with his bare torso and long girlish copper-blond hair, looked like a ’70s teen idol who’d become a Warhol hustler – a street-flesh god like Joe Dallesandro, except that where Dallesandro was in a daze, Kiedis was a live wire.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
13 Mar. 2026
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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
Noun
-
If any paperwork is involved, prepare it beforehand to skip mid-discussion confusion.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2026
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However, cage announcer Bruce Buffer caused confusion by reading the scores incorrectly, announcing totals that favored Fortune’s opponent.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The six varieties of Caruso giardiniera are now available online, and in stores in 30 states, including more than 100 stores in the Chicago area.—
Edie Kasten,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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The hotel offers a variety of half-day and full-day excursions.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This device is a high-tech centrifuge that simulates microgravity by spinning vials with samples around two axes, effectively confusing the cells inside as to their position in space.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
27 Mar. 2026
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In addition, DraftKings argues that consumers aren’t confused by DraftKings’ use of March Madness.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Houthis have previously attacked commercial ships in the Red Sea to disrupt the flow of oil, gas and other commodities through the Bab el-Mandeb strait.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Gas prices have surged past $4 per gallon for the first time in more than three years on Tuesday, according to data from GasBuddy, as the war in Iran continues to disrupt global oil supplies.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
As history has proved, titans of industry often share a regrettable tendency to make a lot of money from leveraging enthusiasm and then leaving others to clean up the mess when the markets implode.—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
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When asked what could be done to make life easier on modern consumers when a surplus of media rights deals are making a mess of the viewing experience, McMahon didn’t have any suggestions.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Thankfully, not all of Ricochet gets lost in the haze.—
Grace Robins-Somerville,
Pitchfork,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Back in the optimistic haze of spring training, San Francisco Giants first-year manager Tony Vitello made a folksy admission.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Muddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muddle. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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