muddled

American  

[muhd-ld] / ˈmʌd ld /

adjective

1. mixed up, confused, or disordered.

   The rejection is based on faulty underlying assumptions and muddled thinking.

2. muddy, clouded, or obscured; murky.

   After a long winter season, your pool is most likely a tub of muddled water with foliage and twigs floating about.

3. (of an ingredient) mixed, crushed, or mashed into a drink, especially with a muddler.

   The freshly muddled kiwi adds an unexpected flavor to this handmade cocktail.

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verb

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

Other Word Forms

• unmuddled adjective

Etymology

Origin of muddled

muddle ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Word from within the camp refuses to dwell too much on muddled selection or lack of depth.

From BBC

Frank failed to produce a side with any sort of clear identity, dragged down by muddled thinking and, when it mattered, a safety-first approach.

From BBC

What I did feel was muddled and unsettled.

From Literature

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

From The Wall Street Journal

Still, even a muddled reading could be the last thing investors were waiting on before kick-starting a Santa Claus rally into the end of the year.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• blurred
• chaotic
• convoluted
• disorganized
• jumbled
• messy