to addle

Examples

• All

• Sadly, the intellectual quality of our Congress has been addled by get-rich-quickers, it would seem.

  Blog text (17)

• The complicated instructions addled her mind, making it hard for her to follow along.

• His brain is addled; he will neither know nor care what becomes of him.

  Fiction book (1995)

• " Whatever method he used, it's obvious age had addled his mind.

  Fiction book (1995)

• The unexpected meeting with Bill had addled her thinking.

  Fiction book (1996)

• In short, children have a right not to have their minds addled by nonsense.

  Academic text (1998)

• She reads these things, and her mind gets addled.

  Howards End (1992)

• Your brain's become addled.

  The Last Valley (1971)

• The constant distractions in the classroom addled my ability to concentrate.

• After staying up all night, his thoughts were so addled that he couldn't remember his own name.

Synonyms

M

to mix up

vsto addle

• Informal

65 2.7

To make people confused and things messy

is focused on causing mental confusion rather than general disorder

C

to confuse

vsto addle

38 1.9

Mix things up so their order is not clear

is about causing mental confusion rather than physical ordering problems

P

to perplex

vsto addle

35 6.3

To make someone confused and unable to understand

is more about simple mental mixing rather than creating difficult puzzles

M

to muddle

vsto addle

33 4.8

Mix things up so they are unclear

is more about creating general mental confusion rather than only messy mixing

C

to confound

vsto addle

22 7.0

Make someone unable to think clearly

covers general mental mixing and simple confusion rather than deep bafflement

D

to disorient

vsto addle

22 5.2

To make a person feel confused about where they are or what to do

refers specifically to loss of direction rather than general mental mixing

B

to befuddle

vsto addle

11 7.8

To make someone very confused so they cannot think clearly

implies milder mental mixing rather than intense inability to think

D

to discombobulate

vsto addle

• Informal

6 9.9

To confuse someone so they cannot think clearly

describes milder mental mixing that may not fully prevent thinking

Antonyms

C

to clarify

248 3.3

To make something clear so others can understand it

S

to simplify

99 2.5

Make something easier to understand or use

Compounds

A

addle-brain

• Offensive

9.9

A person who is confused and forgetful

A

addle-head

• Offensive

9.9

A person who often thinks in a confused or silly way

How Confusing

to flummox

7 8.6

to bewilder

29 5.3

to addle

6 8.9

to perplex

35 6.3

to confuse

266 1.9

Surface Forms

Etymology