1
as in confusing
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
my mind had been thoroughly muddied by the long hours of exacting work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in obfuscating
to make (something) unclear to the understanding
that argument is irrelevant and will just muddy the issue we're trying to resolve
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in staining
to make dirty
forgot to take off our shoes and accidentally muddied the kitchen floor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of muddying
Led by music-industry mogul Irving Azoff, the Oak View Group might have found itself with new competition after Legends Global entered the mix, but on Wednesday city officials appeared uninterested in further muddying the convoluted sale of the 112-acre complex.
—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
The Falcons don’t want any live pass rushers muddying the pocket and putting Penix at risk before he’s completely recovered from his knee injury.
—
Daniel Flick,
AJC.com,
15 June 2026
In more recent drops, FIFA has also introduced Category 1 front-row seating at some games, further muddying the waters.
—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
The company is now at risk of muddying the waters with both, in an effort to keep investors happy.
—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
1 June 2026
Assets worth at least $1 million — which includes the vast majority of real estate in San Francisco — are also grouped together, further muddying the picture.
—
Alyce McFadden,
San Francisco Chronicle,
2 Apr. 2026
Also muddying the outlook for an end to the crisis is uncertainty about what the United States is trying to achieve.
—
Paul Wiseman,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Also muddying the outlook for an end to the crisis is uncertainty about what the United States is trying to achieve.
—
Paul Wiseman,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Also muddying the outlook for an end to the crisis is uncertainty about what the United States is trying to achieve.
—
ABC News,
9 Mar. 2026
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
The Falcons don’t want any live pass rushers muddying the pocket and putting Penix at risk before he’s completely recovered from his knee injury.
—
Daniel Flick,
AJC.com,
15 June 2026
In more recent drops, FIFA has also introduced Category 1 front-row seating at some games, further muddying the waters.
—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
The company is now at risk of muddying the waters with both, in an effort to keep investors happy.
—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
1 June 2026
Assets worth at least $1 million — which includes the vast majority of real estate in San Francisco — are also grouped together, further muddying the picture.
—
Alyce McFadden,
San Francisco Chronicle,
2 Apr. 2026
Also muddying the outlook for an end to the crisis is uncertainty about what the United States is trying to achieve.
—
Paul Wiseman,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Also muddying the outlook for an end to the crisis is uncertainty about what the United States is trying to achieve.
—
Paul Wiseman,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Also muddying the outlook for an end to the crisis is uncertainty about what the United States is trying to achieve.
—
ABC News,
9 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muddying
Verb
-
The most common mistake is confusing more communication with a better signal.
-
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s investigation of the alternative medicine industry uncovered a pattern of practitioners across Georgia pushing legal limits on what they’re allowed to do and presenting confusing information about their credentials.
Verb
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When The Star requested records related to ATO being placed on probation last year, the outcome letter KU provided was heavily redacted, completely obfuscating the narrative of the hazing allegations that university investigators found to be credible.
-
The renderings, which showed an imposing new East Wing roughly a city block long, would be longer than the West Wing and almost completely obfuscating the view of the Treasury Building from the White House's South Lawn.
Verb
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Sealing the grout keeps foods from staining it.
-
Natural stone can be more involved; it should be sealed before grouting and can require upkeep to protect against staining.
Verb
-
The Illinois numbers, especially this year’s, are baffling experts.
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For more than four minutes Darnold drove downfield, connecting on three of four passes, baffling the pass rushers, bleeding the clock, and by the time the Seahawks finally gave the ball back, the Rams had only 25 seconds to live.
Verb
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Beyond color and exposure adjustments, the AI Assistant will sometimes enable an artificial bokeh effect too, blurring the background as in portrait mode.
-
To soften the look of this nostalgic floral, try blurring its edges to create an airbrushed effect.
Verb
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With the help of your Instant Pot, spaghetti and meatballs come together in under an hour without dirtying multiple dishes.
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Keep them in reserve as a sleep sock to ward off icy toes and prevent sweat and skin oils from dirtying your down sleeping bag.
Verb
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The 24 hours between Sunday and Monday made an already puzzling situation even more head spinning.
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Police are investigating after puzzling footage posted online shows a group of men emerging from a manhole in Brooklyn early Friday morning.
Verb
-
Thoughts and feelings behave much the same way, clouding your outlook.
-
What’s more, handling a mummy exposes it to potential contamination from modern bacteria and fungi, further clouding the picture of its microbial makeup.
Cite this Entry
“Muddying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muddying. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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