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
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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
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3
as in confusion
a state of mental uncertainty
the new, supposedly improved forms simply put taxpayers in a bigger muddle
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4
as in variety
an unorganized collection or mixture of various things
a muddle of old magazines piled on the shelves
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1
as in to confuse
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
a car shopper thoroughly muddled by too much well-meaning advice
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2
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
some mischievous brat had muddled the household accounts
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of muddle
Simon J. Potter, Foreign Affairs, 31 July 2023
But their ilk was slowly replaced with a homogenous muddle of blazers and business casual attire.
—Leah Dolan, CNN, 29 July 2024
Serena Coady, Glamour, 19 Sep. 2024
Their research has highlighted how human activities are muddling the relationships between species as climate change and habitat alteration change how and where organisms interact.
—Rebecca Heisman, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for muddle 
Noun
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
But their ilk was slowly replaced with a homogenous muddle of blazers and business casual attire.
—Leah Dolan, CNN, 29 July 2024
Verb
There are just so many things that can muddle our ability to decode the signs of love.
—Serena Coady, Glamour, 19 Sep. 2024
Their research has highlighted how human activities are muddling the relationships between species as climate change and habitat alteration change how and where organisms interact.
—Rebecca Heisman, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for muddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muddle
Noun
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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
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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
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In Arizona, that ruling left confusion between two conflicting laws, and temporarily stopped clinics from providing abortions as courts worked out what was legal in the state.Stacey Barchenger, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024
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The crowd immediately erupted into laughter while Dismukes looked between the two in confusion.Shania Russell, EW.com, 3 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Studies have shown the cannabis plant can help with a variety of medical ailments, including anxiety.Tribune Content Agency, The Mercury News, 14 Nov. 2024
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The rapper has been involved with a variety of political causes, largely Democratic ones, per the newspaper.Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2024
Verb
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While the technical side of blockchain may still confuse most people, the concept of digital currency is mainstream.Lisa Loud, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
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All these bases on balls confused fans back in Los Angeles; nobody walks in L.A.Nicholas Dawidoff, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Harris supporters called Trump a threat to democracy for his refusal to concede his 2020 loss to Biden, unfounded election fraud claims and his supporters’ Capitol riot to disrupt Biden’s presidential certification.Julia Prodis Sulek, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
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Trump's false claims of victory came to a head on January 6, 2021, when a mob of his supporters rioted inside the U.S. Capitol to disrupt the formal confirmation of Biden as the winner of the 2020 election.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Lioness is a mess of political signifiers without a coherent political worldview.Andy Andersen, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2024
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The trick is to work out how the complicated mess of standards, confusing acronyms, and sci-fi-sounding features translate to better Wi-Fi in your home.Simon Hill, WIRED, 2 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Uranus has methane, too—more, in fact—but the strength of its blue is diluted by haze in its upper atmosphere.Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
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The scene feels more like fantasy than reality, perhaps a daydream or hallucination conjured from one of Lois’s alcoholic hazes.Jen Chaney, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Plot: Marge accidentally kills Flanders during one of his fog walks.Joshua Kurp, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024
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Unlike the multi-sensor setups of Waymo and Cruise, Tesla’s reliance on cameras alone presents challenges, particularly in low-visibility conditions like fog, snow, or harsh sunlight.Michael Khouw, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near muddle
Cite this Entry
“Muddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muddle. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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