1
as in confusing
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
my mind had been thoroughly muddied by the long hours of exacting work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in obfuscating
to make (something) unclear to the understanding
that argument is irrelevant and will just muddy the issue we're trying to resolve
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in staining
to make dirty
forgot to take off our shoes and accidentally muddied the kitchen floor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of muddying
Also muddying the outlook for an end to the crisis is uncertainty about what the United States is trying to achieve.
—
Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Also muddying the outlook for an end to the crisis is uncertainty about what the United States is trying to achieve.
—Paul Wiseman, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
Also muddying the outlook for an end to the crisis is uncertainty about what the United States is trying to achieve.
—ABC News, 9 Mar. 2026
As the decades passed, their experiments escalated into increasingly absurd inquiries, muddying the boundaries between subjective and objective reality.
—Shannon Taggart, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026
This may be because the nucleus accumbens, the other reward region that some participants learned to ramp up, didn’t have the same connection to immune response, muddying the results.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 19 Jan. 2026
But seen another way, this release is also optimally confusing, muddying the waters with as-yet-unverified information that’s being disseminated via individual screenshots on social media, making the whole thing easier to dismiss.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
This will prevent muddying the pieces if any color bleeding occurs while washing.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 19 Dec. 2025
When asked about the more recent changes in the color grading industry, Doyle says an entirely new market is muddying the waters.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 12 Nov. 2025
Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Also muddying the outlook for an end to the crisis is uncertainty about what the United States is trying to achieve.
—Paul Wiseman, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
Also muddying the outlook for an end to the crisis is uncertainty about what the United States is trying to achieve.
—ABC News, 9 Mar. 2026
As the decades passed, their experiments escalated into increasingly absurd inquiries, muddying the boundaries between subjective and objective reality.
—Shannon Taggart, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026
This may be because the nucleus accumbens, the other reward region that some participants learned to ramp up, didn’t have the same connection to immune response, muddying the results.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 19 Jan. 2026
But seen another way, this release is also optimally confusing, muddying the waters with as-yet-unverified information that’s being disseminated via individual screenshots on social media, making the whole thing easier to dismiss.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
This will prevent muddying the pieces if any color bleeding occurs while washing.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 19 Dec. 2025
When asked about the more recent changes in the color grading industry, Doyle says an entirely new market is muddying the waters.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 12 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muddying
Verb
-
This device is a high-tech centrifuge that simulates microgravity by spinning vials with samples around two axes, effectively confusing the cells inside as to their position in space.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
27 Mar. 2026
-
During the Second World War, the Allies put a special effort into confusing the Axis powers.—
David Szondy
March 25,
New Atlas,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The renderings, which showed an imposing new East Wing roughly a city block long, would be longer than the West Wing and almost completely obfuscating the view of the Treasury Building from the White House's South Lawn.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Lawyers for the group contend that the city is willfully obfuscating to cover up its inadequate efforts to live up to its settlement.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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There are a few options to deal with old brickwork, including cleaning and repairing the brick, painting or staining the brick, or even installing new siding or stucco over the brick.—
Timothy Dale,
The Spruce,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Sealing your grout is a great way to prevent further staining and using a steam cleaner or steam mop can help to lift the stains.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This inversion explains a host of baffling political and cultural phenomena of late.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The steel pipe's unexpected growth spurt was reported to police early Wednesday by a pedestrian who saw broken pieces of asphalt falling from the cylinder, baffling people passing by and causing traffic congestion.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Instead, lighter colors act as a visual blurring agent.—
Andrea Carbajal,
Glamour,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Formed in Southern California in 2011, the group built its following on a genre-blurring sound that mixes alternative rock, indie pop and hip-hop influences, anchored by frontman Jesse Rutherford’s brooding vocals.—
Travis Pinson,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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With the help of your Instant Pot, spaghetti and meatballs come together in under an hour without dirtying multiple dishes.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Keep them in reserve as a sleep sock to ward off icy toes and prevent sweat and skin oils from dirtying your down sleeping bag.—
Adam Roy,
Outside,
28 Dec. 2025
Verb
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What makes this letter particularly puzzling is the open court case that accuses the NFL of racial discrimination.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
-
So the absence of any real investment in the interior offensive line this offseason is puzzling.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The war, now nearing the one-month mark, has raised concerns about inflation and slowing industrial activity across the world, clouding the demand outlook for metals.—
Bloomberg,
Bloomberg,
26 Mar. 2026
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The mail-in registration complication Further clouding the picture are other possible provisions of the new bill.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Muddying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muddying. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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