muddled

UK: /ˈmʌd^əld/

From the verb muddle: (⇒ conjugate)

muddled is: ⓘ

v past

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

mud•dle /ˈmʌdəl/   v., -dled, -dling, n. 
v. 

1. to mix up in a confused manner: [~ + object]
   Most of my papers had been muddled during my absence.
   [~ + up + object]
   Someone had muddled up the papers in his office.
   [~ + object + up]
   Someone had muddled them up.
2. to cause to become mentally confused:
   [~ + object] The five strong drinks had muddled him.
3. muddle along, [no object] to think or act without planning or direction:
   Our company is just muddling along.
4. muddle through, [no object] to reach a goal despite lack of knowledge, skill, or direction:
   We'll just have to muddle through as best we can.

n. [countable* singular]

5. the state of being confused:
   in a muddle and unable to figure out which way to go.
6. a confused or disordered state of affairs:
   a muddle of insurance forms.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

mud•dle  (mud′l), v., -dled, -dling, n. 
v.t. 

1. to mix up in a confused or bungling manner;
   jumble.
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. to mix or stir (a cocktail, chocolate, etc.).
6. Ceramics to smooth (clay) by rubbing it on glass.

v.i. 

7. 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.
8. 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.

n. 

9. the state or condition of being muddled, esp. a confused mental state.
10. a confused, disordered, or embarrassing condition;
    mess.

• 1540–50; mud + -le; cognate with Middle Dutch moddelen to muddy

mud′dled•ness, mud′dle•ment, n. 
mud′dling•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. confuse, botch, bungle, spoil.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

muddle / ˈmʌd^əl/ verb (transitive)

1. (often followed by up) to mix up (objects, items, etc); jumble
2. to confuse
3. to mix or stir (alcoholic drinks, etc)

noun

1. a state of physical or mental confusion

Etymology: 16th Century: perhaps from Middle Dutch moddelen to make muddy

ˈmuddled adjective

ˈmuddling adjective , noun