1
as in confuses
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 obfuscates
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 blackens
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 muddies
Houser said that because the majority of Americans support removing serious criminals, the White House muddies the waters in an effort to maintain support for mass deportations.
—
Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 7 Feb. 2026
Online, some drew parallels between the heartwrenching moment, which muddies up notions of consent, to an earlier scene in the series, where Carol reveals her mother sent her to conversion therapy camp.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 25 Jan. 2026
The neighbor who gave you the warning was vague in a way that perhaps suggests discretion, but in reality, only muddies the waters.
—Eric Thomas, Baltimore Sun, 16 Jan. 2026
National Birds should get that — although plans to rest starters including QB Jalen Hurts muddies the assumption.
—Greg Cote
january 1, Miami Herald, 1 Jan. 2026
All this dancing around the definition of their relationship muddies what exactly the audience is supposed to be rooting for here, and what’s at stake if the pair doesn’t reconcile.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 29 Nov. 2025
Even without such a collapse, the influx of synthetic junk muddies the waters for real users.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 20 Oct. 2025
But the latest inflation data, where both hiring slowed and prices rose, muddies the picture.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 16 Aug. 2025
Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 7 Feb. 2026
Online, some drew parallels between the heartwrenching moment, which muddies up notions of consent, to an earlier scene in the series, where Carol reveals her mother sent her to conversion therapy camp.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 25 Jan. 2026
The neighbor who gave you the warning was vague in a way that perhaps suggests discretion, but in reality, only muddies the waters.
—Eric Thomas, Baltimore Sun, 16 Jan. 2026
National Birds should get that — although plans to rest starters including QB Jalen Hurts muddies the assumption.
—Greg Cote
january 1, Miami Herald, 1 Jan. 2026
All this dancing around the definition of their relationship muddies what exactly the audience is supposed to be rooting for here, and what’s at stake if the pair doesn’t reconcile.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 29 Nov. 2025
Even without such a collapse, the influx of synthetic junk muddies the waters for real users.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 20 Oct. 2025
But the latest inflation data, where both hiring slowed and prices rose, muddies the picture.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 16 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muddies
Verb
-
No one confuses kilowatt-hours with productivity, yet no serious economy flies blind without tracking them.—
Noosheen Hashemi,
Time,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Where the Roma obscured the line between a classic grand tourer and a sports car with supercar tendencies, the Amalfi confuses things further.—
Jonny Lieberman,
Robb Report,
17 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Director Antonio Campos shoots this exchange in the shadows, a choice that only obfuscates this pivotal moment further.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
14 Nov. 2025
-
Local students tend to know about the province’s nationalistic perspective, due to their high school curriculum, but this deliberately (and understandably) obfuscates the larger Canadian picture to try to foster a firmer attachment to Quebec’s language and culture.—
Dónal Gill,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
That said, the Recording Academy never goes too long without making a choice that baffles everybody, as when Jon Batiste beat Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift in 2022.—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Place baffles at the eaves to maintain a clear path for the airflow from the soffit vents.—
Sarah Moore,
Freep.com,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
At times, the distinction between mood and physical description blurs.—
Jasmine Vojdani,
Vulture,
10 Feb. 2026
-
As Nick and Jacki’s conversations deepen, the line between witness and participant blurs, forcing both to confront what justice demands, what belief requires, and the perilous distance between true freedom and the illusion of self-determination.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This mixture attacks stains a bit stronger than the water solution.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Season with salt and lots of pepper and bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking often, until the turmeric stains the mixture a wonderful golden color and the liquid starts to steam, about 3 minutes.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
But the unknown in that equation is what perplexes the Mavericks and has the team stuck for now.—
Tim Cowlishaw,
Dallas Morning News,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The adventurous actress dirties up her frock and face to play the village pariah, who reeks of fish and would be no man’s idea of a suitable wife, except perhaps the one-eyed bum who sleeps in the town square.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Nandi is experiencing severe insomnia, tremors and psychosis, and her quickly deteriorating condition bewilders the emergency room staff.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The designs were puckish and gender-bending, evoking both awe and repulsion—the sort of clothing that titillates lovers of conceptual fashion and bewilders the uninitiated.—
Ana Karina Zatarain,
New Yorker,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Muddies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muddies. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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