bedevil
verb
be·dev·il
bi-ˈde-vəl 
bē-
bedeviled; bedeviling; bedevils
1
: to possess with or as if with a devil
2
: to cause distress : trouble
3
: to change for the worse : spoil
4
: to confuse utterly
Synonyms
Examples of bedevil in a Sentence
The theory bedevils scientists, none of whom have been able to prove it true or false.
The project has been bedeviled by problems since its inception.
Recent Examples on the Web
The issue of mobilization has bedeviled Ukrainian lawmakers for months, as the needs of its military clash with political constraints.
—
Christian Edwards, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
Historical issues have bedeviled the two countries’ periods of rapprochement.
—Michelle Lee, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024
That’s a worthy cause on an issue that has bedeviled San Diego for generations.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024
These tumors have bedeviled researchers for decades.
—Jason Mast, STAT, 1 Apr. 2024
The young men of the Haredim, as they are known in Hebrew, are in all practical terms exempt from mandatory military services – an issue that has bedeviled Israeli society since the country’s founding.
—Mick Krever, CNN, 29 Mar. 2024
Underlining the joy of the day was exhaustion from the long and trying journey that led up to it, a saga of desperate relatives navigating a mental health system bedeviled by roadblocks and inconsistencies and, at key moments, brightened by dedicated public servants.
—Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024
The weakest link of Tshisekedi’s presidency was the persistence of insecurity in Congo’s east, a problem that has bedeviled the area since the mid-1990s.
—Mvemba Phezo Dizolele, Foreign Affairs, 19 Jan. 2024
That exemption has bedeviled Israeli society since its founding.
—Mick Krever, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024
Christian Edwards, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
Historical issues have bedeviled the two countries’ periods of rapprochement.
—Michelle Lee, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024
That’s a worthy cause on an issue that has bedeviled San Diego for generations.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024
These tumors have bedeviled researchers for decades.
—Jason Mast, STAT, 1 Apr. 2024
The young men of the Haredim, as they are known in Hebrew, are in all practical terms exempt from mandatory military services – an issue that has bedeviled Israeli society since the country’s founding.
—Mick Krever, CNN, 29 Mar. 2024
Underlining the joy of the day was exhaustion from the long and trying journey that led up to it, a saga of desperate relatives navigating a mental health system bedeviled by roadblocks and inconsistencies and, at key moments, brightened by dedicated public servants.
—Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024
The weakest link of Tshisekedi’s presidency was the persistence of insecurity in Congo’s east, a problem that has bedeviled the area since the mid-1990s.
—Mvemba Phezo Dizolele, Foreign Affairs, 19 Jan. 2024
That exemption has bedeviled Israeli society since its founding.
—Mick Krever, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bedevil.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near bedevil
Cite this Entry
“Bedevil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bedevil. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
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bedevil
verb
be·dev·il
bi-ˈdev-əl
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