muddle

[ muhd-l ]

verb (used with object)

, mud·dled, mud·dling.

1. to mix up in a confused or bungling manner; jumble.

   Synonyms: disorganization, disorder, disarray, chaos, haze, fog, daze, bungle, botch, confuse, mess up

2. to cause to become mentally confused.
3. to cause to become confused or stupid with or as if with an intoxicating drink.
4. to make muddy or turbid, as water.
5. 1. to mix, crush, or mash (an ingredient) into a drink, especially with a muddler.
   2. to mix or stir (a cocktail, chocolate, etc.).
6. Ceramics. to smooth (clay) by rubbing it on glass.

verb (used without object)

, mud·dled, mud·dling.

1. to behave, proceed, or think in a confused or aimless fashion or with an air of improvisation:

   Some people just muddle along, waiting for their big break.

noun

1. the state or condition of being muddled, especially a confused mental state.
2. a confused, disordered, or embarrassing condition; mess.

   Antonyms: order

verb phrase

1. to achieve a certain degree of success but without much skill, polish, experience, or direction:

   None of us knew much about staging a variety show, so we just had to muddle through.

muddle

/ ˈmʌdəl /

verb

1. often foll by up to mix up (objects, items, etc); jumble
2. to confuse
3. to make (water) muddy or turbulent
4. to mix or stir (alcoholic drinks, etc)

noun

1. a state of physical or mental confusion

Derived Forms

• ˈmuddly, adjective
• ˈmuddled, adjective
• ˈmuddlingly, adverb
• ˈmuddledness, noun
• ˈmuddling, adjectivenoun

Other Words From

• mud·dled·ness mud·dle·ment noun
• mud·dling·ly adverb
• pre·mud·dle noun verb (used with object) premuddled premuddling

Word History and Origins

Origin of muddle¹

First recorded in 1540–50; mud + -le; cognate with Middle Dutch moddelen “to muddy”

Word History and Origins

Origin of muddle¹

C16: perhaps from Middle Dutch moddelen to make muddy

Example Sentences

Previous estimates of the constant disagree with one another, leaving scientists in a muddle over its true value.

From Science News

From the muddle of ideas, Shan says, those three reports at the dawn of the 20th century helped introduce Mendel’s work to other scientists in the fledgling field of heredity.

From Science News

To stand out as exceptionally beholden to the muddle of conspiracy theory and fury that defines that group — which includes Reps.

From Washington Post

If you follow friends, celebrities, news organizations, humor accounts, and others, all the disparate content will get jumbled together in a muddle.

From Popular-Science

In many other cases, the result of using the tropes of so-called low culture as a vehicle for high-minded commentary has been a misguided, potentially offensive muddle.

From Time

But the option of replacing a new diplomatic breakthrough with open-ended diplomatic muddle-through is not on the table.

From The Daily Beast

Those desperate to find a middle ground in this political muddle could find some silver linings in the survey findings.

From The Daily Beast

Meanwhile, the muddle in Malaysia makes it far harder for the searchers to know where to look.

From The Daily Beast

That common denominator gets lost in the muddle, sometimes, when we talk about fashion.

From The Daily Beast

This is not a moment to get misty-eyed and muddle-headed about freedom of the press or right to know.

From The Daily Beast

Now, contrast that awful muddle of unreason and injustice with what you call my "counsels of despair."

From Project Gutenberg

Here the Scot entered into explanations which threw the Cockney's brain into a complete muddle.

From Project Gutenberg

I mean—Well, anyhow I take it Mr. Remington stands for constructing a civilised state out of this muddle.

From Project Gutenberg

It's all a muddle, a compromise, a monstrosity, like everything else you produce; there's nothing in it that goes on all-fours.

From Project Gutenberg

And I'm a cripple, and she's beautiful—— Oh, my mind's in a muddle!

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• befuddle
• clutter
• complicate
• derange
• discombobulate
• disturb
• fluster
• perturb