to fuddle
1
9.4
- verb
- /ˈfədəl/
- "Whatever the status of that, the line itself is a comic exercise in xenophobia, applauding his own racial acceptability, on roughly the same wavelength as his description of the British Council pamphlet about himself as 'propaganda put out to fuddle the wogs!'"
Examples
-
"Wetherall looked momentarily fuddled.
Fiction book (1999) -
Not only was Boothroyd's mind dimmed, fuddled by time and unhappiness and, Pitt suspected, drink, but he had the powerful impression that he did not want to remember.
Fiction book (1993) -
Oh, shucks, looks like I got the whole thing fuddled up.
-
Me: He was fuddled.
Fiction book (1999) -
I think you got fuddled by the snark as I almost did, but go back and review the parent and grandparent posts...
Blog text (28) -
The complicated instructions fuddled me, and I didn't know what to do next.
-
After listening to the confusing lecture, the students felt fuddled and needed clarification.
-
The unexpected changes in the project left him fuddled, unable to make a decision.
Synonyms
188
7.8
To make someone feel confused or unsure
152
1.9
Make someone unable to think clearly or make something hard to understand
42
5.3
To make someone unable to answer a question
25
5.3
To make someone very confused and unable to understand
24
4.8
Mix things up so they are unclear
20
7.0
Make someone unable to think clearly
11
6.5
To make someone confused by making something seem mysterious
7
5.2
To make a person feel confused about where they are or what to do
7
8.2
Cause ongoing trouble and confusion for people or things
6
6.3
To make someone confused and unable to understand
4
7.8
To make someone very confused so they cannot think clearly
3
5.5
To make someone nervous so they cannot think clearly
3
5.3
Make someone very confused and unable to think clearly
2
9.9
To confuse someone so they cannot think clearly
2
8.6
To confuse someone so they do not know what to do or think
1
8.9
To confuse someone so they cannot think clearly
To make thoughts or words unclear, often from noise and tiredness
Antonyms
Compounds
- Specialized
A small tree from the Caribbean and Florida with curly winged seedpods used to poison fish
How Confused
2
7.9
25
5.3
6
6.3
1
9.4
152
1.9
30
4.9
Surface Forms
Etymology
Fuddle is likely an old sound word, like the familiar word muddle, which means 'mix up'. So to fuddle someone is to 'mix up' their thoughts and make them confused.