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
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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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of addle
Ann Hornaday, Twin Cities, 25 July 2019
Marco Della Cava, USA Today, 10 June 2025
The surfer is increasingly addled by visions that come to him in harrowing split-second blackouts.
—Glenn Kenny, New York Times, 1 May 2025
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
By 1971, with the band addled by drug use and internal strife, Sly and the Family Stone would increasingly lose tour bookings and fail to produce music that matched the songs of just a few years prior.
—Marco Della Cava, USA Today, 10 June 2025
The surfer is increasingly addled by visions that come to him in harrowing split-second blackouts.
—Glenn Kenny, New York Times, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for addle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for addle
Adjective
-
As more miners turn up dead, Cher, a dazed young woman appears, seductive, ravenous and out for blood.—
Liz Shackleton,
Deadline,
13 May 2026
-
Emotions boiled over earlier in the period after Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven crushed Hurricanes counterpart Alexander Nikishin with a huge hit that left the Russian dazed and needing help off the ice.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Gasly seems faintly bewildered by the designation.—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Netizens were bewildered by the latest pivot, resulting in plenty of mockery on social media.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Everyone was so relieved to see how bewildered everyone else was that the feeling in this place was almost festive.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Numerous cryptocurrency novices become bewildered by intricate decals and fluctuating percentages.—
Malana VanTyler,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The senior author of that study seemed as baffled by official reassurances as she, Tufekci added.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
13 May 2026
-
Offspinner Mehidy Hasan, however, produced an arm-ball to baffle Awais, who made 15 following his 103 in the first innings.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
Screen time has become a default rather than an intentional choice for harried teachers and distracted students.—
Will Oremus,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2026
-
Coltrane’s tactical heist operations begin to unravel and land him on the police’s radar when one of his crew members becomes distracted during multiple jobs.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Verb
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As a longtime rider I, too, am perplexed by regular displays of poor customer service by CTA employees.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
-
As Season 3 of Euphoria continues to stir up some controversy, one of the show’s stars is perplexed by Cassie’s (Sydney Sweeney) OnlyFans storyline.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Indeed, Mary Hartman was a confused—and confusing—protagonist for a country in the midst of second-wave feminism.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
Lawsuits have been filed in response and some, including Cassidy and Fleming, warn the move is leaving voters confused.—
Gaby Vinick,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Winners are chosen by a mix of votes from the two, translated into points by a system confusing even to Eurovision fans.—
Jill Lawless,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2026
-
Cassidy complained Friday that the new primary system enacted last year was confusing voters by requiring them to ask for a partisan ballot instead of the previous all-party primary that had been in place.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Addle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/addle. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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