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
-
So The Listeners — not to be confused with 2022’s The Listener starring Tessa Thompson and you in a voice role — is just now reaching the States.
-
Why The Market Misprices Good Companies Investors often confuse business quality with investment quality.
Verb
-
The irony is a bit hard to ignore — the very environment being modified to protect or maintain beaches was simultaneously obscuring the ecological processes happening just offshore.
-
And what’s a novelist but a fence, furnishing imaginary scenes with choice pieces of reality while obscuring their provenance?
Verb
-
For three years straight, he’s kept up a pace that bewilders the industry’s leading comics.
-
The narrator and his wife find that their attachment to the charismatic and cryptic Chibi grows with the cat’s increasing visits, in a way that bewilders them but somehow bonds them closer together.
Verb
-
But instead of sounding the alarm, defendants went out of their way to becloud the emerging scientific consensus.
-
His flacks and surrogates hand out scraps of information grudgingly, infrequently, and beclouded by fragrant eructations of doublespeak.
Verb
-
Today, the skies seem to be darkening once again.
-
One brush fire from the summer storm then split into two, and the raging flames sent plumes of black smoke upward, darkening the skies for miles and fouling the air.
Verb
-
Sometimes those editing swings make sense, like incorporating more social-media posts and group chats, but other times the stylistic choices simply perplex.
-
Many are perplexed by the decision to partner with Target given the boycott taking place due to the company’s rollback of DEI initiatives.
Verb
-
As in the plays of William Shakespeare, Stoppard’s authorial point of view was intentionally obfuscated.
-
However, it's also been heavily subsidized to encourage adoption and obfuscate the financial costs of AI.
Verb
-
As these events unfold, Early’s earnestness blurs comedy and drama, to surprisingly heartfelt effect.
-
To soften the look of this nostalgic floral, try blurring its edges to create an airbrushed effect.
Cite this Entry
“Befog.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befog. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
