How to Use muddle in a Sentence

muddle

1 of 2 verb
  • Add the rosemary, 8 of the mint sprigs, 8 of the thyme sprigs and tarragon and gently muddle the herbs.
    Paul Stephen, ExpressNews.com, 10 June 2020
  • The action gets a little muddled in this section of the book.
    Shawna Seed, Dallas News, 12 Sep. 2023
  • Any longer and the words muddle together; the image turns to mush.
    Kevin Kelly, WIRED, 17 Nov. 2022
  • The Filoni/Favreau series, on the other hand, have been more muddled on this front.
    Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2023
  • Add mint leaves to your glass and gently muddle the leaves.
    Katie Kelly Bell, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2021
  • The problem is all the blockers that muddle the path to value.
    Shawn Herring, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2021
  • In a mixing glass, muddle the mint leaves over the simple syrup and lime juice.
    Stellene Volandes, Town & Country, 20 Aug. 2021
  • Twist and rub the basil leaves in your hands to muddle before dropping them into the glass.
    Tribune News Service, cleveland, 20 July 2021
  • In the bottom of a rocks glass, muddle 3 blueberries and cilantro leaves.
    Dallas News, 5 June 2020
  • The picture is further muddled by the fact that there is no precedent.
    Laura He, CNN, 31 Jan. 2024
  • In a julep cup, rocks glass or a Collins glass, gently muddle the mint and simple syrup.
    Washington Post, 2 May 2022
  • In a metal cup, gently muddle the mint into the peach liqueur.
    Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 29 Apr. 2021
  • Looks like the Cowboys will have to muddle along without Earl after all.
    Kevin Sherrington, Dallas News, 1 Oct. 2020
  • In a cocktail shaker, muddle the slices of pepper in the sugar.
    M. Carrie Allan, Washington Post, 8 July 2020
  • In a small bowl or Julep cup, lightly muddle the mint leaves with the sugar or simple syrup.
    Beth Dooley Special To The Star Tribune, Star Tribune, 28 Apr. 2021
  • Add half the lemon juice and muddle in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.
    Star Tribune, 12 Feb. 2021
  • Add mint and cucumber to the glass and muddle together.
    Rachel Desantis, Peoplemag, 28 Mar. 2023
  • How to make it: add all the ingredients into a tin shaker, muddle the fruit and add the ice.
    Amanda Mesa, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
  • Add simple syrup and gently muddle mint into the syrup.
    Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 27 Jan. 2022
  • In a shaker tin, muddle the strawberry with agave syrup and lemon juice.
    Gabrielle Nicole Pharms, Harper's BAZAAR, 8 July 2022
  • Add lime pieces to shaker tin and muddle to get as much juice out as possible.
    Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 13 May 2021
  • Gently muddle simple syrup and mint leaves in a silver julep cup.
    Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 7 Mar. 2022
  • The Welk’s set pieces and props are just adequate, and there were a couple of blips with the sound in the theater, which muddled some of this show’s witty and wordy lyrics.
    David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Sep. 2023
  • Google’s embrace of the blue check mark comes at a time where its meaning on Twitter has become muddled.
    Chris Morris, Fortune, 4 May 2023
  • Instructions Gently muddle the basil leaves at the bottom of a glass.
    Heather Adams, Outside Online, 9 June 2022
  • JoJu’s take on soda chanh muoi, fizzy lemonade muddled with lemons and limes left to brine for more than four months.
    Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2020
  • But, really, there was nothing to be done for it but to muddle forward.
    Erik Hedegaard, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2021
  • But, for hundreds of years, the felony-murder doctrine has muddled this conceit.
    Sarah Stillman, The New Yorker, 11 Dec. 2023
  • In a cocktail shaker, gently muddle 3 basil leaves, then fill the shaker with ice.
    Washington Post, 20 Aug. 2021
  • How will this midterm muddle change life for Americans?
    CBS News, 13 Nov. 2022
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muddle

2 of 2 noun
  • His mind was a muddle.
  • His papers were in a muddle.
  • Shouldn’t have jumped over the top, should’ve gone up the muddle.
    Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 20 Oct. 2019
  • In this case, there's a bit of a muddle of old and new tools.
    David Nield, Wired, 8 Nov. 2020
  • Is there no help for Jack out of his muddle of self-loathing?
    Hermione Lee, The New York Review of Books, 6 Oct. 2020
  • Combine yuzu and half stone fruit in a bar tin and muddle.
    Sarah Rense, Esquire, 8 Feb. 2018
  • Place jalapeño slice in a shaker tin, muddle, and crush.
    Gabriella Verdugo, Marie Claire, 18 May 2017
  • Important, 'cause the speed of the game, the no-huddle, the tempo, the muddle huddles, all that stuff.
    Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press, 12 Nov. 2019
  • Corned-ham biscuits, fish muddle, hard-crab stew, and lemon pie were on the menu.
    Bill Smith, Southern Living, 16 June 2021
  • Add the mint and muddle slightly to release the flavor.
    Joy Wilson, Good Housekeeping, 3 May 2017
  • The bond market turmoil leaves investors in a bit of a muddle.
    Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2017
  • Where there once was a mess, where there once was a muddle, now there’s a clean quiet space full of air and light.
    Claire Comstock-Gay, The Cut, 12 Feb. 2018
  • For now, they’re swamped by the narrative muddle all around them.
    Helen Shaw, Vulture, 11 July 2022
  • Bloomberg's rise and the muddle among centrist Democrats is a product of one thing: Biden's struggles.
    NBC News, 16 Feb. 2020
  • The team sergeant wandered the courtyard aimlessly, his thoughts and words a muddle.
    Michael M. Phillips, WSJ, 5 Dec. 2018
  • In a cocktail shaker, muddle the jalapeño and basil leaves. Add vodka and lime juice.
    Melissa Phillip, Houston Chronicle, 4 Apr. 2018
  • Place the jalapeño and cilantro in the bottom of a cocktail shaker and muddle until the jalapeño is mashed into small pieces and the cilantro crushed and fragrant.
    ExpressNews.com, 21 Aug. 2019
  • But of course Smith was trying to have it both ways, with the result that his message was a head-snapping muddle.
    Vincent Carroll, The Denver Post, 2 June 2017
  • Add orange, simple syrup, and bitters in a glass and muddle (or use a wooden spoon to smash the orange).
    Outside Online, 3 Nov. 2020
  • But with the rise of fast-moving trains, the muddle of differing times became a nuisance.
    Quanta Magazine, 5 May 2020
  • Son found that the muddle onstage in the old hall also forced the orchestra as a whole to rely more on the conductor.
    Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2022
  • But then the muddle of the impeachment process began to work in Johnson’s favor.
    Allen C. Guelzo, WSJ, 25 May 2018
  • Sunday's outcome leaves the naming process in something of a muddle.
    Bill Turque, kansascity, 20 May 2018
  • In 2017, Le Pen got herself into a muddle over a half-baked proposal to dump the euro.
    Arthur Goldhammer, The New Republic, 7 Apr. 2022
  • The debate over buy-backs is bedevilled by six muddles.
    The Economist, 31 May 2018
  • Experts said those entering adulthood need clear guidance for how to make it out of the muddle.
    Dani Blum, New York Times, 29 July 2022
  • Combine wood sorrel leaves and stems with lime juice in a cocktail shaker; muddle.
    Kate Richards, Country Living, 15 Mar. 2019
  • Someone in close contact may need your guidance when there is a muddle of their own making.
    Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive, 4 Mar. 2021
  • If only there were some pieces of 18th century parchment available to clear up the muddle.
    Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, 11 May 2017
  • Try at home: Add seasonal fruit and a bit of sugar to the bottom of a shaker, muddle, top with ice, fill with sherry, shake, and serve over ice.
    Paula Forbes, GQ, 1 Aug. 2017

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'muddle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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