addled
Americanadjective
-
confused, especially mentally.
Given her addled state, the police discounted much of what the witness had to say.
-
(of an egg) not able to produce viable young.
One of the nests had two chicks and two addled eggs.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of addled
Explanation
To be addled is to be fuzzy in the head, a little foggy and confused. When you're addled, you're having trouble thinking. If your favorite movie star walks by and says hello, you might be too addled to say hi back. Sometimes it's hard to think and you feel slow and befuddled. When your brain feels like it's stuck in some mental mud, you're addled. People are addled for many reasons. When you first wake up, you probably feel addled. Drinking too much makes people feel addled. A confusing situation can make you feel addled. Being in love, star struck, drunk, sleepy, or sick can make you feel addled. Avoid big decisions and important tests when you’re addled!
Vocabulary lists containing addled
The Bluest Eye
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Uglies
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Slaughterhouse-Five
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ms. Young brings an addled affect and biting humor to the role, making rich comedy of Fontaine’s testy interactions with a flight attendant—a species previously unknown to the character.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
What rare fruit survived to maturity on these little, addled trees was misshapen, acrid, and stubbornly green on one end; in short, it tasted terrible.
From Slate ● Apr. 20, 2026
“That location is Salieri’s increasingly addled brain and what happens within that brain strikes me as eminently contemporary.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2026
But, like every addled maniac, his hatred lacks focus.
From Salon ● Jan. 5, 2025
He wished them no particular harm—concentrating his indignation upon the leaden who had seduced their addled pates—but he knew that they would have to be allowed their fight.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
