1
as in baffling
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
my mind had been thoroughly muddied by the long hours of exacting work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in confusing
to make (something) unclear to the understanding
that argument is irrelevant and will just muddy the issue we're trying to resolve
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in staining
to make dirty
forgot to take off our shoes and accidentally muddied the kitchen floor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of muddying
Further damning revelations are about to land, no doubt further muddying the waters.
—
Christina Dugan Ramirez , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2025
But now some of the world’s most prominent hotel brands are muddying the waters.
—Chrissie McClatchie, Robb Report, 27 Sep. 2025
Just with way worse WRs and a changing defensive landscape designed at taking away explosives and muddying the waters for offenses.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2025
Be careful of drugs and alcohol muddying the water.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 14 Sep. 2025
Further muddying the waters, Californians will likely have to parse dueling recommendations on vaccine use.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2025
Christina Dugan Ramirez , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2025
But now some of the world’s most prominent hotel brands are muddying the waters.
—Chrissie McClatchie, Robb Report, 27 Sep. 2025
Just with way worse WRs and a changing defensive landscape designed at taking away explosives and muddying the waters for offenses.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2025
Be careful of drugs and alcohol muddying the water.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 14 Sep. 2025
Further muddying the waters, Californians will likely have to parse dueling recommendations on vaccine use.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muddying
Verb
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One morning, members of the Fort Greely missile defense base spot an ICBM of unknown origin on a suborbital trajectory heading straight for Chicago, baffling the country’s top intelligence and defense teams who only have 18 minutes to respond before impact.—
Jake Kring-Schreifels,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
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But there were strengths here, too, none more than England’s impervious Lazarus complex, that baffling inability to know when one is in a state of emergency.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This was out of respect for me, and also to avoid confusing the children.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
23 Oct. 2025
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Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is among those coaches expected to get real consideration in next year's head-coaching cycle, and his propensity for confusing young QBs is well known across the NFL.—
Max Dible,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Each clothing sample was subjected to various forms of physical and environmental degradation such as washing, aging and staining to determine how easily compounds could leach from fabrics onto the skin of the wearer.—
Jennifer Bringle,
Sourcing Journal,
22 Oct. 2025
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The researchers hope to develop a version that's safe, pleasant-tasting and suitable for large-scale production, without the drawbacks of current treatments like tooth staining, tartar buildup and taste changes in the mouth.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Chemical clues from another world What makes these observations particularly intriguing and puzzling is the detection of nickel without concurrent detection of iron above our instrumental limits.—
Darryl Seligman,
Space.com,
27 Oct. 2025
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There was, however, one puzzling factor.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Some data types can be encrypted randomly, obfuscating enough of the data to stymie hackers—such as using only the last four digits of your credit to confirm your purchase identity.—
Srinivas Shekar,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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And aren’t our real-life romantic complications bewildering enough?—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
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Its ginormous investments in higher-value, tech-heavy sectors from smartphones to autos to semiconductors to biotechnology are disrupting the global landscape at bewildering speed.—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The necklace is the object of his professional fascination and, soon enough, his romantic one—blurring the line between the thrill of the chase and the pull of desire.—
Lilah Ramzi,
Vogue,
25 Oct. 2025
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The dramatic 70,000-square-foot exhibition space features tall bay windows that create a sense of transparency, blurring the boundaries between the inside and outside world.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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High-Heat-Safe Alternatives While enameled cast-iron cookware is excellent to use for braising, roasting, baking, or gentle stovetop cooking, certain high heat applications like searing steak or blackening fish are best done in other types of pans, like traditional cast iron or stainless steel.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
10 Sep. 2025
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Each footstep sent up clouds of dust and ash, coating everything, including my mouth and teeth, in fine grit, blackening my snot and saliva.—
River Selby
August 25,
Literary Hub,
25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Muddying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muddying. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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