as in to bewilder
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
most of the applicants were befuddled by the wording of one of the questions on the driving test
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Recent Examples of befuddle
Powell acknowledged he was befuddled by persistent gains in housing prices, considering the job market was weakening.
—
David Goldman, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026
Shares are erasing some of those two-day losses on Monday, but our overarching point about the befuddling post-earnings market reaction holds true.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 2 Mar. 2026
Desire Doue let the ball run through his legs, befuddling his marker to such a degree that the only sensible reaction was laughter.
—Jack Lang, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
The left-hander from California struck out nine Michigan State Spartans in Sunday's 4-0 victory at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, befuddling his overmatched victims with an electric breaking ball.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for befuddle
David Goldman, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026
Shares are erasing some of those two-day losses on Monday, but our overarching point about the befuddling post-earnings market reaction holds true.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 2 Mar. 2026
Desire Doue let the ball run through his legs, befuddling his marker to such a degree that the only sensible reaction was laughter.
—Jack Lang, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
The left-hander from California struck out nine Michigan State Spartans in Sunday's 4-0 victory at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, befuddling his overmatched victims with an electric breaking ball.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for befuddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befuddle
Verb
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Gasly seems faintly bewildered by the designation.—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
27 Apr. 2026
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Netizens were bewildered by the latest pivot, resulting in plenty of mockery on social media.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As a longtime rider I, too, am perplexed by regular displays of poor customer service by CTA employees.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
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As Season 3 of Euphoria continues to stir up some controversy, one of the show’s stars is perplexed by Cassie’s (Sydney Sweeney) OnlyFans storyline.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Ramírez, half-awake, was confused as to why Pevey wanted to speak with him.—
Andy Martinez,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
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Schoen’s contract extension is confusing at best.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
22 May 2026
Verb
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In a bizarre video circulating after his trip, Landry walked the streets of Greenland’s capital Nuuk and handed out chocolate chip cookies to baffled Greenlandic children.—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
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They are baffled by filmmakers who do not think more aggressively about sustainability, ownership, and business models around their work.—
Dana Harris-Bridson,
IndieWire,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Stephen Colbert is departing late night television as a ratings powerhouse, leaving industry observers puzzled by his exit despite his consistent viewership dominance.—
Toni Fitzgerald,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
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The ways of the whites puzzled the Indians.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Befuddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befuddle. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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