bewilder

verb

be·wil·der | \ bi-ˈwil-dər

, bē-\

bewildered; bewildering\ bi-ˈwil-d(ə-)riŋ

, bē- \

Definition of bewilder

transitive verb

1 : to cause to lose one's bearings (see bearing sense 6c) bewildered by the city's maze of roads

2 : to perplex or confuse especially by a complexity, variety, or multitude of objects or considerations His decision bewildered her. utterly bewildered by the instructions

Other Words from bewilder Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about bewilder

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Choose the Right Synonym for bewilder

puzzle, perplex, bewilder, distract, nonplus, confound, dumbfound mean to baffle and disturb mentally. puzzle implies existence of a problem difficult to solve. the persistent fever puzzled the doctor perplex adds a suggestion of worry and uncertainty especially about making a necessary decision. a behavior that perplexed her friends bewilder stresses a confusion of mind that hampers clear and decisive thinking. a bewildering number of possibilities distract implies agitation or uncertainty induced by conflicting preoccupations or interests. distracted by personal problems nonplus implies a bafflement that makes orderly planning or deciding impossible. the remark left us utterly nonplussed confound implies temporary mental paralysis caused by astonishment or profound abasement. the tragic news confounded us all dumbfound suggests intense but momentary confounding; often the idea of astonishment is so stressed that it becomes a near synonym of astound. was at first too dumbfounded to reply

Examples of bewilder in a Sentence

the change in policy seems to have bewildered many of our customers

Recent Examples on the Web

Children huddled, damp and bewildered, until aid workers drove them away in the back of a pickup truck. — Cara Anna, The Seattle Times, "‘It’s not safe anywhere:’ Mozambique cyclone scattered lives," 30 Mar. 2019 Top bureaucrats are shunted between posts at bewildering speed. — The Economist, "What will Narendra Modi do in his new term as India’s prime minister?," 14 June 2019 While the temperature of the Sun’s corona is a bewildering 2 million to 3 million degrees Fahrenheit, Parker will only have to deal with modest heat of nearly 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. — James Rogers, Fox News, "Weird solar science: How NASA's Parker probe will dive through the Sun's atmosphere," 10 Aug. 2018 His tough stance on asylum seekers in government bewildered some observers, given his devout Christian beliefs. — Rod Mcguirk, Fox News, "Next Australian prime minister well placed to heal party," 23 Aug. 2018 For more than a week after the cyclone, a 7-year-old girl waited with her older sister at the school, injured and bewildered by her mother’s absence. — Cara Anna, The Seattle Times, "‘It will get worse’: Perilous times for kids hit by cyclone," 26 Mar. 2019 Business leaders are often bewildered by the rapidly changing global security situation. — Elisabeth Braw, WSJ, "Stop Worrying and Learn to Love the Military-Industrial Complex," 2 Jan. 2019 We are bewildered why certain groups take offense at two people who love each other and want to spend the rest of their lives together. — Morgan Greene, chicagotribune.com, "Rauner officiates gay wedding, social conservatives object," 12 July 2018 Today, spending a night at the castle remains an all-consuming, often bewildering theatrical experience. — Tony Perrottet, WSJ, "A Secret Passageway Into the World’s Most Exclusive Magic Club," 19 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bewilder.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.