addled

[ad-ld]

adjective

1. confused, especially mentally.

   Given her addled state, the police discounted much of what the witness had to say.

2. (of an egg) not able to produce viable young.

   One of the nests had two chicks and two addled eggs.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of addle.

Other Word Forms

• unaddled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of addled¹

addle ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

For 18 years, Clayton Kershaw pitched through the gamut of emotions as both a hero and a villain, moments of euphoria addled with spells of despair, picturesque summers disappearing into the wicked wilds of October.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

An addled Daniel discovers them fighting and jumps in to protect Cherry, accidentally holding his mother under the water for too long.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Though he’d been addled by the ailment, he understood that his son had managed to preserve the family business.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Trump, addled as he is, still understands that it's unwise to alienate his largely elderly base by attacking two popular programs they depend on.

Read more on Salon

The boys are working with no supervision other than Musk and a handful of henchmen, allegedly under the authority of the addled president who spends his days screaming at clouds.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• befuddled 
• bewildered