as in to confuse
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
the hotel staff is completely fuddled by the guest's bizarre requests
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fuddle
In colliding with a new type of animal, a chemical that might once have served to fuddle the wits of pests has been transformed into a glittering lure.
—
Gareth Cook, Scientific American, 24 June 2020
Gareth Cook, Scientific American, 24 June 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fuddle
Verb
-
Old luggage barcode stickers can confuse airline systems and increase the risk of bags being misrouted or delayed.—
Joey Skladany,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Directness is often confused with insensitivity.—
Jonathan Alpert OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Captain Sidney Crosby was similarly baffled.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The hosts are baffled and intrigued.—
Maddie Connors,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Netizens were bewildered by the latest pivot, resulting in plenty of mockery on social media.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
16 Apr. 2026
-
But even more than engaging the big ideas that Emma’s revelation triggers — pun somewhat intended — Lee and Borli wanted to craft an experience that would mimic its main characters’ bewildering interiority.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As Season 3 of Euphoria continues to stir up some controversy, one of the show’s stars is perplexed by Cassie’s (Sydney Sweeney) OnlyFans storyline.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Baer appeared perplexed by this coy pretense of innocence.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The mass unemployment everyone feared is still missing Initial jobless claims rose to 214,000 in the most recent week surveyed but the overall trend remains down and Wall Street is slightly puzzled as to why.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The mu- and nu-rings are especially puzzling.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But somewhere along the way the message of gratitude and goodwill got muddled.—
Eric Thomas,
Sun Sentinel,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Quite possibly the easiest way to try this trend is to muddle herbs into your favorite drink recipes.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But none have quite the staying power of discombobulate.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Does springing forward in early March leave you feeling discombobulated during your commute?—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fuddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fuddle. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
