as in dazed
suffering from mental confusion
my brain grew more and more addle as I made my way through the tax instructions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to bewilder
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
after slipping on the ice, Bethany was so addled that she left her groceries where they'd fallen
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 addle
Ann Hornaday, Twin Cities, 25 July 2019
Will Stephenson, Harper’s Magazine , 13 Mar. 2023
Should’ve tried the Irish cheese instead, per Mc Gee’s words; perhaps I was addled by my cocktail, the Dubliner, a smooth mix of Irish whiskey, orange liqueur, vermouth, and orange bitters.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Feb. 2023
See all Example Sentences for addle 
Adjective
Soon enough, the foursome are in the back of that truck in an adventure that begins as a moneymaking scheme and promises to become a heroic journey into the heart of white supremacy at its most virulent and addle-minded.
—Ann Hornaday, Twin Cities, 25 July 2019
Verb
In The Dog of the South there is the Demerol-addled, disgraced Dr. Reo Symes, whose life story threatens beautifully to overtake the book’s ostensible plot.
—Will Stephenson, Harper’s Magazine , 13 Mar. 2023
Should’ve tried the Irish cheese instead, per Mc Gee’s words; perhaps I was addled by my cocktail, the Dubliner, a smooth mix of Irish whiskey, orange liqueur, vermouth, and orange bitters.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Feb. 2023
See all Example Sentences for addle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for addle
Adjective
-
My father, dazed and grieving, seemed open to being enlisted in an expedition.Youmna Melhem Chamieh, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
-
On defense, Kurtz recalled jumping up to intercept a pass and being popped by an IMG player on the way down, leaving him dazed and dizzy.Kenny Jacoby, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The animals are nervous, exhausted, aggressive and bewildered by this alarming change to their routine.Dennis Harvey, Variety, 8 Jan. 2025
-
His childhood friends from Thunder Bay and his teammates on the Canadian national team seemed bewildered by the charges against him.Jesse Hyde, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Yes, Sam Darnold looked bewildered against Detroit in the regular season finale, and that conjures all sorts of lingering doubts.Jordan Brenner, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
-
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore brought different weapons to this cute fight: bobcat Kilgore and otter Brie, both seeming a little bewildered by the powder that surrounded them today.NBC News, NBC News, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
English football in 2024 served up a bit of everything: stunning strikes, comical own goals, baffling errors, refereeing controversies, promotions, relegations, trophies lifted, CVs sifted and much more besides.Anantaajith Raghuraman, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
-
This is also mainly why the Silicon Valley money layer are still somewhat baffled and bewildered by gaming.Ollie Barder, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
On the road:This confusing road sign warns of a hidden winter weather danger How much distracted driving increases during holidays and events Unable to view our graphics?Jim Sergent, USA TODAY, 24 Dec. 2024
-
Musk is already the most distracted CEO in the world, though, and his governmental role won’t make that better.Brad Templeton, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Advertisement The enforcement has perplexed local immigrant advocates, who questioned why the Biden administration was using its final weeks to target Central Valley migrant workers for deportation.Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025
-
The situation has perplexed Indian legal experts, with no precedent from which to work.Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Listen to this article Zach LaVine’s teammates are confused.Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2025
-
The daughter of Palestinian immigrants to America, Arabella is both confused and demanding.Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Evans believes a lack of planning is largely to blame for our productivity failures, and warns people not to confuse being busy with being productive.Barnaby Lashbrooke, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
-
Penn State’s receivers won’t be confused for an elite group, but tight end Tyler Warren is the top player in the country at that position, and the running back duo of Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton is one of the nation’s best.Antonio Morales, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
Articles Related to addle
Thesaurus Entries Near addle
Cite this Entry
“Addle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/addle. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share