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muddle

mud·dle

muddle

 
 
pronunciation:
muh dl
parts of speech:
verb, noun
features:
Word Combinations (verb, noun), Word History
part of speech: verb
inflections: muddles, muddling, muddled
definition 1: to cause to be confused; mix up.
The new teacher muddled the names of her students.
synonyms:
jumble, mess up, mix up, scramble
similar words:
clutter, confuse, disorder, litter, muss, tumble
definition 2: to do badly; to make a mess of.
Because he rushed, he muddled the drawing.
synonyms:
mess up
similar words:
blow, blunder, fumble, ruin, spoil, wreck
definition 3: to think or act in a confused way.
After getting only three hours of sleep, Tom just muddled about all morning.
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part of speech: noun
definition: a confused state; mess.
Sue's first day of middle school was a muddle.Looking for his sweater, he made a muddle of the closet.
synonyms:
bewilderment, confusion, daze, disorder, fog, jumble, mess, tangle
similar words:
chaos
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derivations: muddled (adj.), muddlingly (adv.), muddledness (n.)
Word History
The word muddle originally meant "to stir up mud."