bedevil

verb

be·​dev·​il bi-ˈde-vəl 

bē-

bedeviled; bedeviling; bedevils

transitive verb

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

bedevilment

bi-ˈde-vəl-mənt 

bē-

noun

Synonyms of bedevil

• afflict
• plague
• persecute
• besiege
• beset

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

And inflation, which had bedeviled the United States and much of the global economy during the 1970s, was remarkably dormant during Greenspan’s chairmanship, something many economists had not thought could occur for so long a period. —Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 22 June 2026

Auto loan delinquencies are at a record high Credit cards aren’t the only category of debt bedeviling American consumers. —Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 12 June 2026

Growing tent encampments have bedeviled urban leaders for years. —CBS News, 9 June 2026

Oddly enough, Lewis — bedeviled by a series of injuries that included two season-ending knee surgeries since even before his MLB clock started ticking — has been healthy and unproductive. —John Shipley, Twin Cities, 29 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1574, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for bedevil

• daredevil
• sublevel
• bevel
• devil
• level
• multilevel

Kids Definition

bedevil

verb

be·​dev·​il bi-ˈdev-əl 

: to trouble or annoy again and again : pester, harass

bedeviled by problems

bedevilment

-mənt 

noun