bewilderment

noun

be·​wil·​der·​ment bi-ˈwil-dər-mənt 

bē-

1

: the quality or state of being lost, perplexed, or confused : the quality or state of being bewildered

She stared at them in bewilderment.

2

: a complicated or confusing state or condition : a bewildering tangle or confusion

a bewilderment of streets

Synonyms

• bafflement
• bamboozlement
• befuddlement
• bemusement
• bewilderedness
• confusedness
• confusion
• discombobulation
• distraction
• fog
• head-scratching
• maze [chiefly dialect]
• muddle
• mystification
• perplexity
• puzzlement
• tangle
• whirl

Examples of bewilderment in a Sentence

the slightest change in her daily routine leaves her in complete bewilderment

Recent Examples on the Web

The sure bet is that uncertainty will persist in ways that employers and consumers alike expect to damage the economy and that leave foreign leaders scratching their heads in bewilderment. —Josh Boak, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025

As Minnesota appeared indifferent, at least publicly, to the selection order, Gross and his family sat in bewilderment. —Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 17 Apr. 2025

To the bewilderment of even his best allies in the Senate, there has been no hard movement on a presidential library. —Philip Elliott, Time, 16 Apr. 2025

Malone loves to have fun on stage, from the hip-wiggles to the genuine bewilderment that people came to see his set. —Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 14 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1793, in the meaning defined at sense 1