1
as in jumble
a state in which everything is out of order
things at the newly built school were all in a muddle on opening day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in daze
a state of mental confusion
I was in such a muddle after the accident that I didn't know where I was
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in confusion
a state of mental uncertainty
the new, supposedly improved forms simply put taxpayers in a bigger muddle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in variety
an unorganized collection or mixture of various things
a muddle of old magazines piled on the shelves
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to confuse
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 to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
some mischievous brat had muddled the household accounts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of muddle
Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2024
Or perhaps the current muddle will continue, to the further detriment of British soft power and global influence, already dwindling after the country’s departure from the European Union.
—Simon J. Potter, Foreign Affairs, 31 July 2023
Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 18 Oct. 2024
This shift not only alienated a core group of designers and marketers, many of whom left en masse, but also muddled Nike's ability to speak authentically to specific athletic communities, diluting its competitive edge in innovation and niche marketing.
—Amy Francombe, WIRED, 24 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for muddle 
Noun
Johnny Depp To Receive Lifetime Achievement Award & Screen ‘Modi’ At Rome Film Festival
Watch on Deadline
Just to be clear, Modi is not the terrible muddle of self-aggrandizement that was widely expected — not all of it, anyway.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2024
Or perhaps the current muddle will continue, to the further detriment of British soft power and global influence, already dwindling after the country’s departure from the European Union.
—Simon J. Potter, Foreign Affairs, 31 July 2023
Verb
But such possibilities are muddled in the myriad of choices on display.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 18 Oct. 2024
This shift not only alienated a core group of designers and marketers, many of whom left en masse, but also muddled Nike's ability to speak authentically to specific athletic communities, diluting its competitive edge in innovation and niche marketing.
—Amy Francombe, WIRED, 24 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for muddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muddle
Noun
-
Owners’ names now read like jumbles of computer code, retirement homes or rock bands: Silver Sage, Dream Homes, Blue Apple, P Fin VII, Wref II, 3xs2, Vivid, Straight Red Lines, TKJK, Jags Proper.Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 24 June 2024
-
Think of it instead as a Rube Goldberg machine, reimagining doodles as dense jumbles of steps and if-then rules.The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2024
Noun
-
For their colleagues, the result is confusion, mistrust and frustration.Jonathan Gill, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
-
According to interviews from The Classic TV History Blog, the actual event took place in Texas and used a truck instead of a helicopter despite some confusion about the origins among the show's personnel.Chris Sims, The Courier-Journal, 19 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
Hash Bubbie Women’s Flats Every wardrobe needs a reliable pair of flats, and the Hash Bubbie Flats come in a variety of colors to match any outfit.Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 30 Nov. 2024
-
Nordic Knots Up to 30% Off For us at Vogue, Nordic Knots is the place to find high-end, unique rugs in a variety of chic colorways, patterns and textures.Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 29 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
The team wants Alex Mill to be more of a household name brand without getting too big to manage properly, or so expansive as to confuse the customer with many fashion messages.David Moin, WWD, 18 Nov. 2024
-
San Francisco sued Oakland for infringing its airport’s trademarks in April, arguing the Oakland airport’s similar new name would confuse travelers.Reuters, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
Focus on unlikely but possible events that could massively disrupt the market.Jodie Cook, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
-
In this gentle novel, an elderly widow finds her solitary routine disrupted by a mouse, setting off a sequence of events that reconnects with the larger world.Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
Thanksgiving Day will bring a mess of rain for the I-95 corridor from Florida to Maine, and heavy snow for the interior Northeast and New England.Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 28 Nov. 2024
-
Those drips and drops will dry out to become an ooey, gooey, stuck-on mess that is much harder to clean.Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 27 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
Kelly Clarkson just wants to stay in that lavender haze.Marina Watts, People.com, 27 Nov. 2024
-
All is nebulous and oblique, but within that haze is a powerful story about how history is written and the generational reverberations that such history cannot avoid.Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 25 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
As a man estranged from his family who loses himself in his work, Law portrays Husk as someone easy to underestimate, seemingly adrift in a fog of booze and self-pity, yet driven by a professionalism who can nevertheless rise to the occasion when needed.Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024
-
Set a gift budget In the fog of holiday shopping, no amount of spending seems quite enough.Daniel de Visé, USA TODAY, 27 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near muddle
Cite this Entry
“Muddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muddle. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share