as in dazed
suffering from mental confusion
my brain grew more and more addle as I made my way through the tax instructions
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to bewilder
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
after slipping on the ice, Bethany was so addled that she left her groceries where they'd fallen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of addle
Ann Hornaday, Twin Cities, 25 July 2019
Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2025
But sorry, who can listen to this and not think, this is abnormal?
Business
Column: California’s transgender sanctuary law survives a challenge as judge ridicules plaintiff’s claims
April 11, 2024
No one, other than people so addled by transgender-paranoia.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for addle
Adjective
Soon enough, the foursome are in the back of that truck in an adventure that begins as a moneymaking scheme and promises to become a heroic journey into the heart of white supremacy at its most virulent and addle-minded.
—Ann Hornaday, Twin Cities, 25 July 2019
Verb
Words can addle, the propagandist knows, even in their absence.
—Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2025
But sorry, who can listen to this and not think, this is abnormal?
Business
Column: California’s transgender sanctuary law survives a challenge as judge ridicules plaintiff’s claims
April 11, 2024
No one, other than people so addled by transgender-paranoia.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for addle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for addle
Adjective
-
The band played everything a little slower, and the songs drifted through the theatre with a dazed elegance.—
Hua Hsu,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
-
The museum show did happen — though some of what’s in it is fabricated, including a few fake ads for Apple and Absolut Vodka that the band very much did not shoot — but everyone in attendance seems a little dazed and confused about it, including the band.—
Alissa Wilkinson,
New York Times,
2 May 2025
Verb
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They were bewildered for me, and so was all the other staff.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Small wonder many of the migrants are disoriented and bewildered.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Because, as the bewildered Jackson says in response, Who hates guitars?—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
21 May 2025
-
Also speaking to camera, the various members of the Girard family waver between resentment and bewildered confusion.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
15 May 2025
Verb
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What’s more, the double-stitched seams and baffle box design keep lumps at bay.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
28 May 2025
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The owner shared a video of the car veering left, a video that has Tesla examiner’s baffled.—
Peter Lyon,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2025
Adjective
-
Follow the rules of the road—and stay off your phone - Stick to speed limits, obey traffic signals, and never drive distracted.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 May 2025
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That was a possible sign of fatigue or distracted driving, some experts told CBS Austin — a problem that truckers told The Hill is endemic across an industry that pushes them to work around the clock.—
Saul Elbein,
The Hill,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Many observers were perplexed that an eighty-two-year-old man with virtually unlimited access to medical care—and about whose health there has been virtually unlimited conjecture—could have gone undiagnosed until the cancer threatened his life.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
22 May 2025
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Social-media users were undoubtedly perplexed by the bone discovery, leading to more than 860 comments on the Instagram video.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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The audio proves otherwise as the recordings show Biden was confused, rambling, and couldn’t even remember when his son Beau died.—
Doug Friednash,
Denver Post,
21 May 2025
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Photos showed the group seemingly confused about what was happening during the moment.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
21 May 2025
Verb
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Also, this word et cetera at the end of the sentence confused me.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
26 May 2025
-
Weir was confused by the man’s unusual conviction, though.—
Louise Erdrich,
New Yorker,
25 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Addle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/addle. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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