muddle up
B1 informal separable transitive
In simple words
To mix things up by accident so that they're in the wrong order or confused with each other.
Meanings
1 B1
idiomatic
informal
To confuse one thing with another by mistake.
"I always muddle up 'affect' and 'effect' — they seem identical to me."
Grammar: separable
2 B1
idiomatic
informal
To put things into disorder; to create a mess or confusion.
"Someone has muddled up all the filing — these documents are in completely the wrong order."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Common in British English. Used both for physical things (papers, objects) and abstract things (names, facts, dates). 'Muddled up' is a common adjective meaning confused or disordered.
Commonly used with
names dates files orders facts papers
Forms
Base
muddle up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
muddles up
he/she/it
Past simple
muddled up
yesterday
Past participle
muddled up
have + pp
-ing form
muddling up
continuous
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Synonyms
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