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Puzzled vs Muddled - What's the difference?

puzzled | muddled |

As adjectives the difference between puzzled and muddled

is that puzzled is confused or perplexed while muddled is confused, disorganised, in disarray.

As verbs the difference between puzzled and muddled

is that puzzled is past tense of puzzle while muddled is past tense of muddle.

puzzled

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Confused or perplexed.
  • * 1848 , , Vanity Fair , Bradbury and Sons, 11:
    • (...) when the day of the departure came, between her two customs of laughing and crying, Miss Sedley was greatly puzzled how to act.
  • * 1920 , (Herman Cyril McNeile), Bulldog Drummond Chapter 1
    • Once or twice he scratched his head, and stared out of the window with a puzzled frown. And each time, after a brief survey of the other side of Half Moon Street, he turned back again to the breakfast table with a grin.

    Derived terms

    * puzzledly * puzzledness

    Verb

    (head)
  • (puzzle)

    • muddled

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Confused, disorganised, in disarray.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=June 4 , author=Phil McNulty , title=England 2 - 2 Switzerland , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=The selection of James Milner ahead of Young was the product of muddled thinking and the absence of Peter Crouch - with 22 goals in 42 England appearances - from even the substitutes' bench was also a surprise.}}

    Related terms

    * muddle

    Verb

    (head)
  • (muddle)