1
as in to confuse
to make (something) unclear to the understanding
the professor's convoluted explanation only befogged the textbook's presentation of this scientific principle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to obscure
to make dark, dim, or indistinct
the morning murk befogged our view of the harbor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to bewilder
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
completely befogged by the sudden change of subject
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 befog
But the Taycan's launch control hits harder than the Model S's, smacking us with 1.3 g's of initial acceleration long enough to befog our noggin.
—
Dave Vanderwerp, Car and Driver, 7 Feb. 2020
This is the point where accidentally interacting with passerby distracted by their smartphones, their attention equally befogged by another kind of augmented reality, could result in a very bad ending.
—Matt Peckham, Time, 23 June 2017
The detective blames Nichols, the self-aggrandizing adviser who convinced the Cabazons to build a casino, for conjuring the intrigue that continued to befog the case long after his death.
—Andrew Rice, WIRED, 4 Feb. 2011
Dave Vanderwerp, Car and Driver, 7 Feb. 2020
This is the point where accidentally interacting with passerby distracted by their smartphones, their attention equally befogged by another kind of augmented reality, could result in a very bad ending.
—Matt Peckham, Time, 23 June 2017
The detective blames Nichols, the self-aggrandizing adviser who convinced the Cabazons to build a casino, for conjuring the intrigue that continued to befog the case long after his death.
—Andrew Rice, WIRED, 4 Feb. 2011
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befog
Verb
-
The measures are set to take effect on Monday and have left many Haitians confused.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2025
-
Elections and Certifications Don’t confuse a benefit or B corporation with a B Corp.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Verb
-
The raw data obscures just how substantial and prolonged the downfall of the little guy in the NBA has been.—
Lev Akabas,
Sportico.com,
6 June 2025
-
Complicating matters further are sophisticated networks of onshore and offshore actors who facilitate illicit operations by obscuring catch data, obfuscating labor abuses, and lobbying to maintain lax regulations, according to C4ADS.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
Verb
-
Babb acknowledged that the team was bewildered at the stunning turn of events.—
Edward Lee,
Baltimore Sun,
30 May 2025
-
They were bewildered for me, and so was all the other staff.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
But instead of sounding the alarm, defendants went out of their way to becloud the emerging scientific consensus.—
Edward Fitzpatrick,
BostonGlobe.com,
7 Aug. 2019
-
His flacks and surrogates hand out scraps of information grudgingly, infrequently, and beclouded by fragrant eructations of doublespeak.—
Charles Seife,
Slate Magazine,
1 Mar. 2017
Verb
-
Coutts had the white fireplace darkened to black with a Portola lime wash.—
Caron Golden,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2025
-
Asked whether Trump had helped his campaign, by darkening the brand of strongman leaders, Albanese told the ABC on Monday that Dutton had done that by himself.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
4 May 2025
Verb
-
There was one final thing that left St John perplexed.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
11 May 2025
-
The results achieved statistical significance in one part of the analysis but not in others, perplexing outside experts.—
Brenda Goodman,
CNN,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
What the fourth-quarter comebacks obfuscate is that Boston has to build a 20-point lead in the first place!—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC news,
10 May 2025
-
Advanced Evasion Techniques Once installed, the app utilizes several advanced techniques to evade detection by conventional antivirus and mobile security tools: • Obfuscation: The malware’s code is intentionally obfuscated to hinder reverse engineering and detection.—
Yaamini Barathi Mohan,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
Verb
-
Airstream In place of common overhead cabinetry, Airstream further blurs the delineation between indoors and out with long, narrow upper windows above the primary window line.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
7 June 2025
-
The 2025 Tribeca Film Festival, running through June 15, has centered music-heavy programming with premieres from artists including Billy Joel, Miley Cyrus, Turnstile and Depeche Mode — further blurring the line between musicians’ stagewear and red carpet fashion.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
7 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Befog.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befog. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share