befuddle

verb

be·​fud·​dle bi-ˈfə-dᵊl How to pronounce befuddle (audio)
bē-
befuddled; befuddling; befuddles
Synonyms of befuddlenext

transitive verb

1
: to muddle or stupefy with or as if with drink
befuddled with drink all the time.Ellen Glasgow
2
: confuse, perplex
a problem that still befuddles the experts
befuddlement noun

Examples of befuddle in a Sentence

most of the applicants were befuddled by the wording of one of the questions on the driving test
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Just reaching the Finals has befuddled most of my friends. Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 2 June 2026 Needless to say, the Pinnacles' beauty has continued to both befuddle and astonish visitors today. Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 2 June 2026 And, of course, onstage in his act, in which the 47-year-old comedian from Old Hickory, Tennessee, adopts the persona of a middle-aged everyschlub befuddled by modern life and expectations of basic competence. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 May 2026 Expecting to catch their limit this week, the Dodgers were instead befuddled by the Miami Marlins, who had most of the answers from the mound and just enough from the plate. Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for befuddle

Word History

Etymology

be- + fuddle

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of befuddle was in 1801

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Befuddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/befuddle. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

befuddle

verb
be·​fud·​dle bi-ˈfəd-ᵊl How to pronounce befuddle (audio)
befuddled; befuddling
-ˈfəd-liŋ
-ᵊl-iŋ
1
: to dull the senses of with or as if with too much drink : stupefy
2
befuddlement noun

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