[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/muddled/)

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# muddled

adjective; past form of «muddle» (muddle, muddles, muddled, muddling)

«muddled» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Muddled means confused and not thinking clearly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/muddled/#m1)
2. Muddled means mixed up and untidy, in the wrong order. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/muddled/#m2)
3. It is the past form of the verb «muddle»: to mix things up or confuse them. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/muddled/#m3)

### In the lessons

In maths, a muddled answer has steps in the wrong order; teachers ask for clear working. In stories, a muddled character is confused, perhaps tired, old or scared. Phrases: «get muddled», «muddled up», «muddled thinking», «muddle through» (manage somehow).

### Examples

- I got muddled and added instead of taking away. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/muddled/#x1)
- The papers were all muddled up on the floor. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/muddled/#x2)
- Grandpa gets a bit muddled about names. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/muddled/#x3)
- Her story was muddled and hard to follow. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/muddled/#x4)
- He muddled the twins up again. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/muddled/#x5)
- After the long trip I felt tired and muddled. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/muddled/#x6)
- We muddled through the quiz without our best player. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/muddled/#x7)
- And the Cat sat down to the loom, and worked away; muddled everything about, if it didn't do much weaving. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/muddled/#x8)

### Note

Verb: muddle, muddled, muddling. Noun: a muddle (a mess or confusion: «in a muddle»). Mostly British; Americans also say «mixed up». Not the same as «muddy» (covered in mud).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «muddled» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/muddled/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«muddled» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/muddled.html) on Mova free.