muddle

1 of 2

verb

mud·dle ˈmə-dᵊl How to pronounce muddle (audio)

muddled; muddling ˈməd-liŋ How to pronounce muddle (audio)

ˈmə-dᵊl-iŋ

transitive verb

: to make turbid or muddy

muddled the brook with his splashings

: to befog or stupefy (see stupefy sense 1) especially with liquor

The drink muddled him and his voice became loud and domineering.

: to mix confusedly

muddles the household accounts

: to make a mess of : bungle

muddled themselves into the most indefensible positions

A. N. Whitehead

intransitive verb

: to think or act in a confused aimless way

She muddled along for a year before going to college.

muddler

ˈməd-lər

ˈmə-dᵊl-ər

noun

Synonyms

Verb

addle
baffle
bamboozle
beat
befog
befuddle
bemuse
bewilder
buffalo
confound
confuse
discombobulate
disorient
flummox
fox
fuddle
get
gravel
maze
muddy
mystify
perplex
pose
puzzle
vex

Noun

chance-medley
chaos
confusion
disarrangement
disarray
dishevelment
disorder
disorderedness
disorderliness
disorganization
free-for-all
havoc
heck
hell
jumble
mare's nest
mess
messiness
misorder
muss
shambles
snake pit
tumble
welter

See all Synonyms & Antonyms

Example Sentences

Verb a car shopper thoroughly muddled by too much well-meaning advice some mischievous brat had muddled the household accounts Noun His papers were in a muddle. His mind was a muddle.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

This can cloud a reader’s understanding of a study by overestimating its importance or simply muddle one’s understanding with excess words.

Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 1 Sep. 2022 TikToks has demonstrated that parasocial relationships — one-sided emotional investments in public figures — can muddle appropriate boundaries online.

Morgan Sung, NBC News, 26 Aug. 2022 Lightly muddle the coffee beans (crack beans only, do not grind), then stir the muddled beans with rum over ice.

Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes, 16 Aug. 2022 The ultimate hands-on drink station—a muddle-your-own mojito bar!

Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Aug. 2022 Gently muddle the mint leaves and cucumber in a copper mug.

Gabrielle Nicole Pharms, Harper's BAZAAR, 8 July 2022 In a shaker tin, muddle the strawberry with agave syrup and lemon juice.

Gabrielle Nicole Pharms, Harper's BAZAAR, 8 July 2022 One video showing how to muddle these herbs into a drinkable tea has reached more than 250,000 views.

Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY, 7 July 2022 The Democratic Governors Association and Pritzker are also spending ads in the Republican primary trying to muddle things up — and elevate Bailey to make Pritzker’s road to reelection easier.

Amber Phillips, Washington Post, 28 June 2022

Noun

More on College Sports From Power 5 to Mighty 2: As the Big Ten and the SEC consolidate power, some fear the rest of college sports could become a muddle.

New York Times, 19 Aug. 2022 From this muddle of anger, confusion and regret, though, a movement was born.

Dan Barry, BostonGlobe.com, 10 July 2022 Jablonka’s desire to trace all the world’s hierarchies, injustices, and conflicts back to one prehistoric fit of reproductive jealousy leads to a good deal of muddle as things proceed.

Zoë Heller, The New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2022 And third, existing ESG ratings are a muddle of data—a pudding without a clear theme.

David Meyer, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2022 Since the summer, however—and particularly after the disastrous, though ultimately justified, withdrawal from Afghanistan—Democrats have been stuck in a muddle.

Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 18 May 2022 The show’s final sequences have been forced into a curious and not entirely persuasive moral; then again, a muddle of things may in the end be the best we mortals can expect.

Peter Marks, Washington Post, 11 July 2022 In a cocktail glass, muddle cucumber, 2 rosemary sprigs, simple syrup, and lime juice.

Gabrielle Nicole Pharms, Harper's BAZAAR, 8 July 2022 The result is a muddle that should have been limited to an invitation-only workshop.

Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2022 See More

单词	muddled
释义	muddle 1 of 2 verb mud·dle ˈmə-dᵊl muddled; muddling ˈməd-liŋ ˈmə-dᵊl-iŋ transitive verb 1 : to make turbid or muddy muddled the brook with his splashings 2 : to befog or stupefy (see stupefy sense 1) especially with liquor The drink muddled him and his voice became loud and domineering. 3 : to mix confusedly muddles the household accounts 4 : to make a mess of : bungle muddled themselves into the most indefensible positions A. N. Whitehead intransitive verb : to think or act in a confused aimless way She muddled along for a year before going to college. muddler ˈməd-lər ˈmə-dᵊl-ər noun muddle 2 of 2 noun 1 : a state of especially mental confusion 2 : a confused mess muddly ˈməd-lē ˈmə-dᵊl-ē adjective Synonyms Verb addle baffle bamboozle beat befog befuddle bemuse bewilder buffalo confound confuse discombobulate disorient flummox fox fuddle get gravel maze muddy mystify perplex pose puzzle vex Noun chance-medley chaos confusion disarrangement disarray dishevelment disorder disorderedness disorderliness disorganization free-for-all havoc heck hell jumble mare's nest mess messiness misorder muss shambles snake pit tumble welter See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Verb a car shopper thoroughly muddled by too much well-meaning advice some mischievous brat had muddled the household accounts Noun His papers were in a muddle. His mind was a muddle. Recent Examples on the Web Verb This can cloud a reader’s understanding of a study by overestimating its importance or simply muddle one’s understanding with excess words. Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 1 Sep. 2022 TikToks has demonstrated that parasocial relationships — one-sided emotional investments in public figures — can muddle appropriate boundaries online. Morgan Sung, NBC News, 26 Aug. 2022 Lightly muddle the coffee beans (crack beans only, do not grind), then stir the muddled beans with rum over ice. Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes, 16 Aug. 2022 The ultimate hands-on drink station—a muddle-your-own mojito bar! Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Aug. 2022 Gently muddle the mint leaves and cucumber in a copper mug. Gabrielle Nicole Pharms, Harper's BAZAAR, 8 July 2022 In a shaker tin, muddle the strawberry with agave syrup and lemon juice. Gabrielle Nicole Pharms, Harper's BAZAAR, 8 July 2022 One video showing how to muddle these herbs into a drinkable tea has reached more than 250,000 views. Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY, 7 July 2022 The Democratic Governors Association and Pritzker are also spending ads in the Republican primary trying to muddle things up — and elevate Bailey to make Pritzker’s road to reelection easier. Amber Phillips, Washington Post, 28 June 2022 Noun More on College Sports From Power 5 to Mighty 2: As the Big Ten and the SEC consolidate power, some fear the rest of college sports could become a muddle. New York Times, 19 Aug. 2022 From this muddle of anger, confusion and regret, though, a movement was born. Dan Barry, BostonGlobe.com, 10 July 2022 Jablonka’s desire to trace all the world’s hierarchies, injustices, and conflicts back to one prehistoric fit of reproductive jealousy leads to a good deal of muddle as things proceed. Zoë Heller, The New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2022 And third, existing ESG ratings are a muddle of data—a pudding without a clear theme. David Meyer, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2022 Since the summer, however—and particularly after the disastrous, though ultimately justified, withdrawal from Afghanistan—Democrats have been stuck in a muddle. Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 18 May 2022 The show’s final sequences have been forced into a curious and not entirely persuasive moral; then again, a muddle of things may in the end be the best we mortals can expect. Peter Marks, Washington Post, 11 July 2022 In a cocktail glass, muddle cucumber, 2 rosemary sprigs, simple syrup, and lime juice. Gabrielle Nicole Pharms, Harper's BAZAAR, 8 July 2022 The result is a muddle that should have been limited to an invitation-only workshop. Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2022 See More Word History Etymology Verb and Noun probably from obsolete Dutch moddelen, from Middle Dutch, from modde mud; akin to Middle Low German mudde First Known Use Verb 1676, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1 Noun 1808, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Phrases Containing muddle in a muddle muddle along muddle through in a muddle muddle along muddle through Kids Definition muddle 1 of 2 verb mud·dle ˈmə-dᵊl muddled; muddling 1 : to be or cause to be confused or bewildered "Haven't I so muddled their brains they want to turn you loose?" Sid Fleishman, The Whipping Boy 2 : to mix up in a confused manner They muddled the story. 3 : to think or proceed in a confused way I somehow muddled through the task. muddle 2 of 2 noun : a state of confusion muddled 1 of 2 adjective as in messy lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness a muddled arrangement of trophies in the display case Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance messy confused chaotic jumbled messed littered cluttered sloppy filthy tangled dirty tumbled disarrayed disordered shaggy disarranged disheveled untidy stained rumpled unkempt wrinkled disorderly tousled mussed knotted mussy nasty topsy-turvy higgledy-piggledy blackened dishevelled smudged pell-mell spotted sullied grimy hugger-mugger upside-down bedraggled besmirched mucky out of joint polluted dingy draggled unclean squalid contaminated neglected slovenly tainted soiled begrimed grubby at sixes and sevens dowdy snarled uncombed adulterated befouled grungy foul cruddy sloven uncleanly frowsy sordid slatternly defiled shabby bemired grotty neglectful negligent seedy frowzy sleazy Antonyms & Near Antonyms crisp organized neat tidy uncluttered orderly cleaned clean sparkling unsullied systematic ordered kempt immaculate trim antiseptic cleanly careful systematized spotless shipshape methodical snug tidied regular neatened methodic hygienic stainless fussy unsoiled well-ordered meticulous fastidious finicky spic-and-span unpolluted spick-and-span manicured combed wholesome untainted bandbox groomed undefiled well-groomed taintless See More muddled 2 of 2 verb past tense of muddle 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 confused baffled bewildered puzzled perplexed muddied befuddled discombobulated disoriented fuddled flustered vexed addled rattled flummoxed confounded disturbed mystified embarrassed bamboozled stunned bemused befogged unsettled bothered upset mazed posed foxed got graveled buffaloed stuck beat agitated blew one's mind disconcerted distressed gravelled vext went to one's head disquieted discomfited stumped misguided nonplussed mortified unhinged abashed misled perturbed deluded discomforted dismayed fazed discountenanced discomposed weirded out chagrined deceived duped fooled strung along nonplused beguiled tricked hoodwinked humbugged cozened took in snowed gulled hoaxed Antonyms & Near Antonyms satisfied informed assured reassured enlightened 2 as in disrupted to undo the proper order or arrangement of some mischievous brat had muddled the household accounts Synonyms & Similar Words confused disrupted jumbled shuffled disturbed disjointed disorganized disarrayed disordered upset disarranged scrambled disheveled deranged dislocated tousled tangled mussed discomposed hashed dishevelled snarled rumpled tumbled unsettled cluttered embroiled entangled perturbed agitated mixed (up) messed (up) stirred (up) Antonyms & Near Antonyms organized arranged aligned ordered regulated disposed tidied ranged straightened (up) marshaled marshalled adjusted classified systematized arrayed fixed codified lined lined up queued drew up alined made up methodized systemized groomed spruced (up) unscrambled See More
随便看	clears (up) clears away clears off clears out clears up clearsach clearsachs clearskin clearstarch clearstories clearstory Clearwater Clearwater Mountains clearway clearways clearweed clearweedes clearweeds clearwing clearwing moth clearwings cleas cleat cleated cleater

muddle

verb

noun

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing muddle

Kids Definition

verb

noun

adjective

verb