muddle

American  

[muhd-l] / ˈmʌd l /

verb (used with object)

muddled, muddling

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

   Synonyms:

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

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.

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verb (used without object)

muddled, muddling

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. muddle through 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 British  

/ 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)

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noun

1. a state of physical or mental confusion

Other Word Forms

• muddled adjective
• muddledness noun
• muddlement noun
• muddling adjective
• muddlingly adverb
• muddly adjective
• premuddle noun

Etymology

Origin of muddle

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

Example Sentences

What I did feel was muddled and unsettled.

From Literature

Another muddle concerns his expectations of economic gains from artificial intelligence.

From Los Angeles Times

The timeline for investments is often years, muddling the near-term outlook for manufacturing.

From The Wall Street Journal

Even by that low bar, Mr. Carney’s speech was muddled and incoherent.

From The Wall Street Journal

To make its mocktail rendition, Caporale suggests making a simple limeade by muddling mint leaves with fresh lime juice and adding sugar along with soda water.

From Salon

Related Words

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