as in messy
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness
a muddled arrangement of trophies in the display case
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in confused
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
a car shopper thoroughly muddled by too much well-meaning advice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disrupted
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
some mischievous brat had muddled the household accounts
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of muddled
Neetu Arnold, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
Why is the messaging so muddled here?
—CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
Voters are also distressed by the decline in their quality of life, as well as the country’s muddled political landscape – a fact indicated by the twenty candidates for president alone.
—Djenane Villanueva, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026
Ridley recommends using gel polishes for a deer print mani, since the curing step locks each layer in, keeping them from blurring together and becoming a muddled mess.
—Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 28 Jan. 2026
True coffee enthusiasts know that a good coffee grinder plays a huge role in the extraction process and preventing a muddled flavor.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 24 Jan. 2026
Tonight, Bluebland’s glasses reflect a muddled crowd.
—Joe Sills, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
The muddled history of the token’s origination is just the tip of the iceberg.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 13 Jan. 2026
But the thinking behind the category itself remains muddled, and the rollout hasn’t helped.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 25 Nov. 2025
Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 21 Jan. 2026
At the moment, however, the apex of the 2026 draft order is muddled.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
However impressively efficient the American strike may have been, the president’s motives have been muddled.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 5 Jan. 2026
The situation might be a bit more muddled by the US wanting to resume nuclear testing.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 23 Dec. 2025
Still, economists say the report could be more than a little muddled this time around.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 15 Dec. 2025
Suddenly, the whole point of Olympia and Matty’s mission is muddled.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025
Bernstein’s Mark Moerdler echoed the sentiment that Oracle’s last quarter was overall a decent one, but was muddled by complex controversies.
—Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
As a result of financial and personal problems, Bíró's invention ended up muddled in a number of international patents and licensing agreements in different companies and individuals in various countries.
—New Atlas, 29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Visit our website Republicans, by contrast, offer a muddled message.
—Neetu Arnold, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
Why is the messaging so muddled here?
—CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
Voters are also distressed by the decline in their quality of life, as well as the country’s muddled political landscape – a fact indicated by the twenty candidates for president alone.
—Djenane Villanueva, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026
Ridley recommends using gel polishes for a deer print mani, since the curing step locks each layer in, keeping them from blurring together and becoming a muddled mess.
—Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 28 Jan. 2026
True coffee enthusiasts know that a good coffee grinder plays a huge role in the extraction process and preventing a muddled flavor.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 24 Jan. 2026
Tonight, Bluebland’s glasses reflect a muddled crowd.
—Joe Sills, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
The muddled history of the token’s origination is just the tip of the iceberg.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 13 Jan. 2026
But the thinking behind the category itself remains muddled, and the rollout hasn’t helped.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 25 Nov. 2025
Verb
Peterson's lawyers argued his role as an armed school resource officer did not amount to a caregiving post needed to prove child neglect in Florida, and that the response to the shooting was muddled by poor communication.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 21 Jan. 2026
At the moment, however, the apex of the 2026 draft order is muddled.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
However impressively efficient the American strike may have been, the president’s motives have been muddled.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 5 Jan. 2026
The situation might be a bit more muddled by the US wanting to resume nuclear testing.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 23 Dec. 2025
Still, economists say the report could be more than a little muddled this time around.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 15 Dec. 2025
Suddenly, the whole point of Olympia and Matty’s mission is muddled.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025
Bernstein’s Mark Moerdler echoed the sentiment that Oracle’s last quarter was overall a decent one, but was muddled by complex controversies.
—Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
As a result of financial and personal problems, Bíró's invention ended up muddled in a number of international patents and licensing agreements in different companies and individuals in various countries.
—New Atlas, 29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muddled
Adjective
-
In this case, that ball happens to be the complex that serves as the symbolic seat of the nation’s vibrant, messy, questioning, deeply political and hugely alive arts and culture scene.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Scuffs and chips will show up quickly, requiring frequent touch-ups that can end up creating messy layers.—
Asia London Palomba,
The Spruce,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The New England Patriots just couldn't muster much of an attack against a Seattle defense that appeared to have Drake Maye confused through much of the night, falling 29-13.—
Will Richmond,
The Providence Journal,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The California Department of Public Health is urging people to avoid mushroom foraging altogether this year because death cap mushrooms are easily confused with safe, edible varieties.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Since June, federal immigration raids have disrupted neighborhoods and communities across Los Angeles and around the nation, including at work sites, along neighborhood streets and in commercial areas.—
Melissa Gomez,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
This has disrupted standing deployment plans, scrambled ships to sail thousands of miles and put increasing strain on vessels and equipment that are already facing mounting maintenance issues.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
His piece of genius separated the sides entering the 84th minute but during a chaotic finale, the hosts conspired to grab defeat from the jaws of victory.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
But Biden quickly sank in the late summer and fall, due in large part to a chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal and rising prices.—
Craig Gilbert,
jsonline.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Even Proctor’s defense attorney seemed baffled by the district attorney’s office’s handling of the case.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
This disconnect, despite all appearances of a serious campaign, has left many Democrats baffled.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That means there aren’t going to be just a few chairs shuffled around; my suspicion is much of the roster likely will be overhauled in the next few years.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
-
On Thursday afternoon, about 300 people in a mix of puffer coats and fleeces shuffled in place on a line that snaked south along Seventh Avenue to West 10th Street, wrapped around Julius’ and circled back — an Ouroborous.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
12 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Weekly, Weber and Finger have kept reliable and amusing tabs on the ever-expanding universe of Whos and dissected the increasingly jumbled celebrity hierarchy.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Getty Images The variability of a football club’s circumstances from one season to the next — the impact of promotion and relegation, the jumbled mass of player contracts on their books — means no two teams ever approach a transfer window from the same vantage point.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
He was puzzled by friends who bought band T-shirts and obsessed over concerts.—
Shayla Love,
New Yorker,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Store employees were puzzled about any alleged involvement with El Primo.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Muddled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muddled. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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