1
as in rotten
having undergone organic breakdown
addled eggs found on a long abandoned hen's nest
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dazed
suffering from mental confusion
one of the more addled audience members confused Ghana with Guyana
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in bewildered
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of addled
Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
With his brow perennially furrowed and hair slicked with sweat, Riley has the exact look and bearing of a suavely addled wrong-man figure from British thrillers of yore — and thus makes a suitably bemused proxy for the viewers in this wasteland of mounting chaos and absurdity.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 Aug. 2025
In a week, nearly 1,000 students will be walking through the doors of Roxbury Prep, a new charter school that looks to be a catalyst for change in a neighborhood marred by the Mass and Cass opioid-addled wasteland.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 19 Aug. 2025
The album lasts a bit over an hour and has peaks and valleys typical of modern rap’s onomatopoeic nature, where verses and choruses float by in a murky, addled stream.
—Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for addled
Adjective
How the inextricable combinations of lyrical narratives and distortion-addled arrangements served as salient commentaries on authoritarian power and artificial intelligence, as well as science denialism, knee-bending capitulation and unrestrained wealth.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
With his brow perennially furrowed and hair slicked with sweat, Riley has the exact look and bearing of a suavely addled wrong-man figure from British thrillers of yore — and thus makes a suitably bemused proxy for the viewers in this wasteland of mounting chaos and absurdity.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 Aug. 2025
In a week, nearly 1,000 students will be walking through the doors of Roxbury Prep, a new charter school that looks to be a catalyst for change in a neighborhood marred by the Mass and Cass opioid-addled wasteland.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 19 Aug. 2025
The album lasts a bit over an hour and has peaks and valleys typical of modern rap’s onomatopoeic nature, where verses and choruses float by in a murky, addled stream.
—Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for addled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for addled
Adjective
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But toss everything into a cauldron and the end result is a rotten stew of the Beavers’ own making.—
Jon Wilner,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Oct. 2025
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Truly rotten pumpkins also don't make good toys or feed for wildlife—whether the wildlife around your home or as feed or entertainment for animals at the zoo or local farm—though pumpkins that are just softening are ideal for this role.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Glancing around the standing-room-only party, filled with joyful hugs and happy chatter as guests drank spicy margaritas and nibbled on fries in paper cones printed with quotes from the book, a dazed Brown smiled.—
Hadley Meares,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Oct. 2025
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In one of the film’s least subtle moments, a dazed Bruce is startled to attention.—
Sadie Sartini Garner,
Pitchfork,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Gelles avoids lionizing Patagonia’s leader, describing Chouinard’s mercurial leadership style that often bewildered his staff at Patagonia.—
Maya Silver,
Outside,
20 Oct. 2025
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The sense of arbitrariness that had previously bewildered and frustrated me was drowned out by excitement and sheer aesthetic pleasure.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The spoiled food was brought onboard by a customer and was not related to in-flight food or drinks, according to the company.—
Sabrina Weiss,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
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Bad gas often has a spoiled or sour smell.—
Kamron Sanders,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Those willing to put in the time (and those who aren't easily wigged out) may find to their confused delight that Tippett is the maddest creative god of them all.—
Chris Snellgrove,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
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The Oscar-winning filmmaker makes the viewer as torn and confused and at wit’s end as the people trying to avoid doomsday.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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He was baffled as if there does not appear to be any point of access for an animal the size of a ground hog.—
Chris McKeown,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
25 Oct. 2025
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She was baffled by his sudden enterprise.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The decomposed body found in singer D4vd's Tesla at a Los Angeles impound lot was identified as that of a 15-year-old girl.—
Christian Orozco,
NBC news,
18 Sep. 2025
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McCormack’s decomposed body was found in a pink suitcase near Missouri Highway 59 between Lanagan, Missouri, and Noel, Missouri, on July 29, 2019, according to the plea agreement.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Better, but invites distracted glances with every notification.—
Li Goldstein,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
25 Oct. 2025
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Nor can it be ruled out that China, while normally cautious, might instead act decisively against Taiwan at a point of crisis for Kyiv, since the West would likely be more distracted.—
Lyle Goldstein,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Addled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/addled. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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