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
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025
But in 2022, Maserati reminded us that there’s another Italian car company, with a rich 108-year history and a respected name, but one that has been tarnished by missteps and muddled strategies in recent years.
—Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 29 Oct. 2025
The six-episode season, which was provided to critics in its entirety, is a disjointed and muddled attempt to turn Rice’s centuries-old secret society into a vehicle for a half-hearted spy thriller.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 26 Oct. 2025
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
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
New Atlas, 29 Oct. 2025
Together the flavor is muddled, slightly discordant, but alone the Irish whiskey gets to sing, its apples and pears and slight malt and gentle touch a perfect foil to the zesty front palate of the lemon and the deep finish of the almonds.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2025
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
Adjective
The second episode is heavy on introductions and reveals without a clear anchor, and that makes for a muddled hour, despite some real bright spots.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025
But in 2022, Maserati reminded us that there’s another Italian car company, with a rich 108-year history and a respected name, but one that has been tarnished by missteps and muddled strategies in recent years.
—Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 29 Oct. 2025
The six-episode season, which was provided to critics in its entirety, is a disjointed and muddled attempt to turn Rice’s centuries-old secret society into a vehicle for a half-hearted spy thriller.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 26 Oct. 2025
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
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
Verb
As a result of financial and personal problems, Bíró's invention ended up muddled in a number of international patents and licensing agreements in different companies and individuals in various countries.
—New Atlas, 29 Oct. 2025
Together the flavor is muddled, slightly discordant, but alone the Irish whiskey gets to sing, its apples and pears and slight malt and gentle touch a perfect foil to the zesty front palate of the lemon and the deep finish of the almonds.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muddled
Adjective
-
But a big, beautiful, and sometimes messy public square that belongs to us all.—
Yolanda Watson Spiva,
Fortune,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The best heroes are beloved because their choices — admirable, messy, or otherwise — are hard ones made in service of something greater.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The Farmers’ Almanac will be gone for good after its final 2026 edition, not to be confused with The Old Farmer's Almanac, a separate publication.—
Alex Perry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Blue Origin also launches New Shepard from Texas The New Glenn spacecraft is not to be confused with Blue Origin's much smaller New Shepard rocket that the company launches from West Texas on brief trips taking paying passengers high above Earth's atmosphere.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The shutdown has disrupted federal operations, delayed pay for hundreds of thousands of workers, and put critical programs at risk.—
Deputy News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
-
If the shutdown has not been resolved at the end of this week, there is a big risk Thanksgiving travel could be disrupted, said Henry Harteveldt, president of Atmosphere Research Group.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Paul’s chaotic yet candid nature quickly uplifted her to reality TV icon status, so much so that ABC named her their next star of The Bachelorette.—
McKinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Dispatch recordings from firefighters who were first on the scene at Miami Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra’s home early Thursday reveal a chaotic and fast-moving fire that left crews scrambling to find water and to contain the spreading flames.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Played for comic relief, he is baffled by this son of his who attends college and, more perplexing yet, is suddenly obsessed with Italy and cycling.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Physicists were baffled as to why this material would suddenly stop conducting current once the tellurium content reached approximately 30 percent—a change that its basic chemical composition could not explain.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
In September, Spotify added the ability to free users search for and play specific songs, rather than being forced to head directly to shuffled playlists or albums, though users were limited to one song at a time before the app started to shuffle.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The Royals shuffled their hitting department after the 2025 season concluded.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
But the jumbled conference situation leaves nobody knowing where things stand with three weeks left.—
Erick Smith,
USA Today,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Advertisement Someone with aphasia might have difficulty forming full sentences, instead repeating jumbled words, or will start slurring.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Her mysterious symptoms puzzled doctors, at least one of whom suggested the pain was psychosomatic.—
Sophie Dodd,
PEOPLE,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Some younger viewers may have been initially puzzled by the mashup, but fans of a certain age, or of a certain show-tune leaning, got it from the very first bar, or might have even dared to anticipate it when Erivo and Grande sat down on stools, side by side.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Muddled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muddled. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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