as in messy
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness
a muddled arrangement of trophies in the display case
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in confused
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
a car shopper thoroughly muddled by too much well-meaning advice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disrupted
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
some mischievous brat had muddled the household accounts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of muddled
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025
The muddled sound, uncharacteristic for this venue, didn’t help matters.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 11 Oct. 2025
Swift shows off the practical sets in behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage in The Official Release Party of a Showgirl, but fans spent the weekend pointing out strange inconsistencies in these door videos that line up with telltale signs of AI art like muddled writing and weird physics.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
Over the course of a few hours in Washington on Tuesday, the increasingly muddled state of public health unfolded.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
This is an impossible task – partly due to Trump’s own muddled thinking – but most importantly, because Putin does not want peace.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025
Security, errors, and trust dominate the risk analysis Despite the hype and muddled terminology, the core idea of AI agents—systems designed to autonomously take action to carry out specific tasks—is still generating a lot of justifiable excitement.
—Sage Lazzaro, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2025
The picture is far more muddled, and economists are split over whether Powell will telegraph a likely rate decrease next month or a continuation of the Fed’s wait-and-see approach.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2025
If anything, this juxtaposition makes the Moomins perfect guides through our muddled moment, online and off.
—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
The election result was muddled from the start.
—Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
Every school was feeling its way around to some degree when the NCAA rule changes arrived in the summer of 2021, and myriad state laws muddled the picture even further.
—Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
So, Horn’s opportunity for activation seems muddled at best — justified or not.
—Charlotte Observer, 24 Sep. 2025
What was meant to be constructive ends up muddled.
—George Bradt, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The unease is muddled, and the characters seem less vulnerable as a result.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 3 Sep. 2025
Yet, given the market's heavy tilt to megacap tech, any leading economic signal from such a turnaround could be muddled.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2025
After Achane, the picture is muddled.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Ryan argues that Cooper’s decision to operate the camera himself (with Matthew Libatique serving as DP) leads to some directorial self-indulgence that makes for a frustrating, muddled experience that could’ve used more editorial discipline.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025
The muddled sound, uncharacteristic for this venue, didn’t help matters.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 11 Oct. 2025
Swift shows off the practical sets in behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage in The Official Release Party of a Showgirl, but fans spent the weekend pointing out strange inconsistencies in these door videos that line up with telltale signs of AI art like muddled writing and weird physics.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
Over the course of a few hours in Washington on Tuesday, the increasingly muddled state of public health unfolded.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
This is an impossible task – partly due to Trump’s own muddled thinking – but most importantly, because Putin does not want peace.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025
Security, errors, and trust dominate the risk analysis Despite the hype and muddled terminology, the core idea of AI agents—systems designed to autonomously take action to carry out specific tasks—is still generating a lot of justifiable excitement.
—Sage Lazzaro, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2025
The picture is far more muddled, and economists are split over whether Powell will telegraph a likely rate decrease next month or a continuation of the Fed’s wait-and-see approach.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2025
If anything, this juxtaposition makes the Moomins perfect guides through our muddled moment, online and off.
—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
But the two ballot initiatives, which were somehow muddled with other issues like homelessness, failed that same November, when a majority of voters rejected them.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
The election result was muddled from the start.
—Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
Every school was feeling its way around to some degree when the NCAA rule changes arrived in the summer of 2021, and myriad state laws muddled the picture even further.
—Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
So, Horn’s opportunity for activation seems muddled at best — justified or not.
—Charlotte Observer, 24 Sep. 2025
What was meant to be constructive ends up muddled.
—George Bradt, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The unease is muddled, and the characters seem less vulnerable as a result.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 3 Sep. 2025
Yet, given the market's heavy tilt to megacap tech, any leading economic signal from such a turnaround could be muddled.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2025
After Achane, the picture is muddled.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muddled
Adjective
-
The podcast episode premiered amid Angelia Solomon's ongoing court battle more than a decade after her and Aaron Solomon's bitter and messy divorce in 2013.—
Katie Nixon,
Nashville Tennessean,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Moisten the disposable sheets with water and a gentle cleaning agent like Dawn dish soap, then use the DIY wet wipes to clean countertops or messy faces.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
One of the higher-ups felt my title Stairway to Heaven would be confused with the 1939 movie of the same name.—
Cameron Crowe,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Netflix’s co-CEOs then confused Wall Street by not slamming the door on a possible bid.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The reality is that all premium creative models in the moving-image space are being disrupted by low-cost ones, powered by AI, free platforms, and new forms of piracy.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Hurricane Melissa is expected to weaken over Jamaica as its inner core is disrupted by the mountainous terrain.—
Jennifer Borresen,
USA Today,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Add to this Senne Lammens, who has brought calm to a previously chaotic goalkeeping situation, and INEOS’ bold approach to the summer window is starting to pay off.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
-
New York City officials condemn federal immigration raid A chaotic immigration raid in New York City on Tuesday reflected the US government’s widening deportation campaign, drawing outrage from local officials and residents.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
He was baffled as if there does not appear to be any point of access for an animal the size of a ground hog.—
Chris McKeown,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
25 Oct. 2025
-
She was baffled by his sudden enterprise.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
And after Paulsen’s five seasons in Washington, several of those Shanahan-tree coaches indeed shuffled Paulsen from building to building, staff to staff.—
Jourdan Rodrigue,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Backpacks borne and carry-ons in tow, travelers at Miami International Airport shuffled through serpentine security lines on Friday.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Another study challenging the MICI scenario noted that breaking ice also tends to form a mélange, a dense, jumbled slurry of icebergs and sea ice.—
Evan Howell,
Quanta Magazine,
20 Oct. 2025
-
While Texas Tech has emerged as the clear favorite to win the conference (-120 odds on BetMGM), the chasing pack is still a jumbled mess.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Actors’ Equity membership puzzled me.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Investigators say they are puzzled why the culprits left behind the colossal, 140-carat Regent diamond, which has been valued at $60 million.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Muddled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muddled. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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