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

With the exception of a Russian oil tanker that was allowed to dock in Cuba earlier this month, Washington has maintained a de-facto fuel embargo on the country, exacerbating the extreme energy shortages that bedevil the Cuban population on a daily basis. —Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026

Jude isn’t particularly fond of Bucharest, which is traffic-clogged, bedevilled by corruption, and generally exhausting. —Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026

That's become the central issue and has really bedeviled Trump in recent weeks. —Cody Godwin, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026

But this project was bedeviled with budget trouble, and axed before anyone got to see it. —Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1574, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for bedevil

• daredevil
• sublevel
• bevel
• devil
• level
• mediaeval
• 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