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
Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026
Spurs’ playing squad is a muddle, the legacy of a generation’s worth of short-termism and too many coaching changes to mention.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
The Athletic College Basketball Staff, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Cross-functional collaboration that isn’t muddled in hierarchy speeds up innovation.
—Claire Zillman, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for muddle
Noun
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
Spurs’ playing squad is a muddle, the legacy of a generation’s worth of short-termism and too many coaching changes to mention.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
Injuries on both sides muddle things a bit.
—The Athletic College Basketball Staff, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Cross-functional collaboration that isn’t muddled in hierarchy speeds up innovation.
—Claire Zillman, Fortune, 14 Mar. 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
-
Other bedding plants for summer color in sunny sites include angelonia, blue daze, bush daisy, Joseph’s coat, melampodium, salvia, torenia and zinnias.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 May 2026
-
Those around me were in a daze.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Constant changes and slow IRS guidance led to widespread confusion and, eventually, abuse that forced the IRS to put a moratorium on claims on September 14, 2023 until August 8, 2024.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
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So there’s little doubt that the emergence of jumbo-size Messi’s across America’s lawns create more intrigue than confusion, even in a nation where soccer as a whole remains a second-tier sport.—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Out of the 50 Tuscan DOCs and DOCGs in which Sangiovese is the main grape, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG is considered the apex of the variety.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
15 May 2026
-
There are moments that end up on the cutting floor due to a variety of reasons, either personnel on screen asking for privacy or the fact that there’s a very quick turnaround time.—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Winners are chosen by a mix of votes from the two, translated into points by a system confusing even to Eurovision fans.—
Jill Lawless,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2026
-
Cassidy complained Friday that the new primary system enacted last year was confusing voters by requiring them to ask for a partisan ballot instead of the previous all-party primary that had been in place.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
What’s next for I-77 South Carter-Adamson and Ivory were disappointed to hear that I-77 will once again disrupt lives around Charlotte.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
11 May 2026
-
Canvas outage disrupted students during finals The timing made the outage especially frustrating.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
Becerra blunder The first ad that grabbed my attention was a quick-turn by San José Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Matt Mahan (still stuck in single-digit polling numbers), who jumped on Xavier Becerra’s first major mess-up.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
-
That way, the bristles can cling to your skincare products instead of dripping into the brush’s base and making a mess.—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Coastal and eastern areas offer more dramatic settings, but come with greater risk from haze and obstruction.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
10 May 2026
-
Clouds, hills, buildings or even distant haze can block the view.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Muddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muddle. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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