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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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
Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 19 Feb. 2026
But fertilizing terrestrial crops with marine material may muddle that work.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 11 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
Manufacturers aren’t going to pilot innovations that will fail or otherwise muddle their operations, Op de Beeck said.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 19 Feb. 2026
But fertilizing terrestrial crops with marine material may muddle that work.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for muddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muddle
Noun
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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
-
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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While most associations have not encountered this situation to date, being informed and prepared will help prevent confusion, protect resident privacy, and reduce legal risk.—
Peter S. Sachs,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Mar. 2026
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Some users have voiced anger at how the situation was handled, claiming that either Kalshi’s rules should have been communicated more clearly, or that its markets should have been more narrowly worded to avoid confusion.—
Terrence O'Brien,
The Verge,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
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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After Survivor 50 aired its premiere episode on Wednesday, fans were confused when no official podcast from Jeff Probst appeared in their feeds.—
Staff Author,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Feb. 2026
-
The city’s 20 video cameras are shifted from box to box to confuse criminals.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Just one week ago, a report hypothesizing on how AI could disrupt the economy sent the Dow tumbling by more than 800 points.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
3 Mar. 2026
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Maneuvering and hypersonic considerations Iran’s reported hypersonic designs, like the Fattah missile, focus less on speed and more on terminal maneuvering to disrupt tracking.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
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For a no-fuss, no-mess option for your patio, the Thermacell Patio Shield provides a 10-foot protection zone, perfect for small outdoor spaces like balconies or porches.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
5 Mar. 2026
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Instead of rolling individual enchiladas or topping individual tacos, serve a big-batch fajita casserole for Tex-Mex flavor without as much effort or mess.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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From the petroleum haze of the opening title track onward, Marathon is an unequivocally beautiful album.—
Sadie Sartini Garner,
Pitchfork,
2 Mar. 2026
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And the screen is often duly obscured in a whitish haze, some of it moving through the skies above, some of it rising from the Phlegraean Fields, an active eight-mile-wide caldera to the west of Naples.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Muddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muddle. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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