as in to afflict
to cause persistent suffering to
a lingering cold bedeviled me for over a month
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of bedevil
Even so, a violent curse bedevils them, a sophisticated feat of careful writing and directorial sensitivity that sets Chiarella apart from the gorehounds.
—
Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Published in 1978, Tuchman’s history still feels current – there are pandemics, oligarchs, inequality, misinformation campaigns and endless warring, to name a few things that continue to bedevil us.
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for bedevil
Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Published in 1978, Tuchman’s history still feels current – there are pandemics, oligarchs, inequality, misinformation campaigns and endless warring, to name a few things that continue to bedevil us.
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for bedevil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bedevil
Verb
-
Measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease caused by a virus that primarily and most severely afflicts children.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
-
Joyce said problems that afflict Washington require a deeper, more systematic change.—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
The high school exam board, CBSE, has faced public outrage over an electronic marking system plagued with technical glitches, during which students said answers were wrongly marked or, in some cases, answer sheets were omitted entirely.—
Mithil Aggarwal,
NBC news,
20 June 2026
-
The department said that all reopenings of the Reflecting Pool have been plagued by algae blooms and that vacuuming up the algae would take a couple of days.—
Lalee Ibssa,
ABC News,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Supporting people who have too often been, and continue to be, persecuted and othered would be a direct way to address the suffering.—
Grant Brisbee,
New York Times,
14 June 2026
-
It's partially inspired by director Benjamin Christensen's research on the German text Malleus Maleficarum, a guide to witchcraft for inquisitors looking to persecute its perpetrators.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 June 2026
Verb
-
In the adjacent room, the Shapiro team was equally besieged.—
Victoria Gomelsky,
Robb Report,
17 June 2026
-
The mass shooting that claimed 49 lives and injured dozens of others—the deadliest hate crime targeting LGBTQ+ people in American history—still leaves a grievous mark, most especially in a city, state and nation besieged with new attacks on the gay community.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Iran has been beset with logistical problems since then, including the denial of visas for certain members of its delegation.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 June 2026
-
Indeed, finance takes place in a world beset by change.—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bedevil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bedevil. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
