befuddle
verb
be·fud·dle
bi-ˈfə-dᵊl 
bē-
befuddled; befuddling; befuddles
1
: to muddle or stupefy with or as if with drink
… befuddled with drink all the time.—
Ellen Glasgow
Ellen GlasgowExamples 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
But behind closed doors, grievances are simmering over programming, budgets, and dueling marketing campaigns that befuddled the American public.
—
Philip Wang,
Time,
29 June 2026
Hardly ten more minutes had passed before Dembélé scored again—this time, cutting inside and stuttering his dribble and then, having befuddled the defense, rolling the ball right past it into an open corner of the goal.
—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
27 June 2026
Of course, this is just a simple way to look at a complex problem that befuddles property owners, insurance companies and policymakers alike.
—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
21 June 2026
That prevents your privacy and befuddles trackers that bundle your location and demographic data along with your online activities to sell your profile to advertisers and brokers.
—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for befuddle
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Philip Wang,
Time,
29 June 2026
Hardly ten more minutes had passed before Dembélé scored again—this time, cutting inside and stuttering his dribble and then, having befuddled the defense, rolling the ball right past it into an open corner of the goal.
—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
27 June 2026
Of course, this is just a simple way to look at a complex problem that befuddles property owners, insurance companies and policymakers alike.
—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
21 June 2026
That prevents your privacy and befuddles trackers that bundle your location and demographic data along with your online activities to sell your profile to advertisers and brokers.
—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for befuddle
Cite this Entry
“Befuddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/befuddle. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
befuddle
verb
be·fud·dle
bi-ˈfəd-ᵊl
befuddled; befuddling
-ˈfəd-liŋ,
-ᵊl-iŋ
1
: to dull the senses of with or as if with too much drink : stupefy
2
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