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
Berube was befuddled by the way his team started the third, a problem that lies at the feet of the players as well as the coach.
—
Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 14 Dec. 2025
The husbands are befuddled by their countryside existence while their pregnant wives engage in a bizarre friendship.
—Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 28 Nov. 2025
Technically, anyway, the Chiefs-Colts game on Sunday at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium wasn’t a knockout game for the befuddling 5-5 home team in jeopardy of missing the playoffs after three straight Super Bowl berths.
—Kansas City Star, 24 Nov. 2025
Making the glass dome is the part that befuddles most of them.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for befuddle
Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 14 Dec. 2025
The husbands are befuddled by their countryside existence while their pregnant wives engage in a bizarre friendship.
—Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 28 Nov. 2025
Technically, anyway, the Chiefs-Colts game on Sunday at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium wasn’t a knockout game for the befuddling 5-5 home team in jeopardy of missing the playoffs after three straight Super Bowl berths.
—Kansas City Star, 24 Nov. 2025
Making the glass dome is the part that befuddles most of them.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for befuddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befuddle
Verb
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But unlike his Sophoclean namesake, Orestes is bewildered by this escalation and refuses.—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
The Atlantic,
5 Jan. 2026
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In April, the president was among those bewildered by his fall.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
27 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Gargantuan boulders, twisted spiky trees, and vibrant sunset colors form an arid landscape that has perplexed and inspired creative titans like Jim Morrison and Gram Parsons for years.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
14 Jan. 2026
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The disjunction between the abstract composition and the notion of self-portraiture appeared perplexing in its own right; its inoperability only exacerbated the viewer’s frustration and redoubled the artist’s impish provocation.—
Ara H. Merjian,
Artforum,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Transparency Without Predictability Feels Like an Excuse Don’t confuse transparency with honesty.—
Shep Hyken,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
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Last summer, Noemi Rios of Dallas started the grassroots organization Vecinos Unidos to advise immigrants of their rights and to identify people who may be confused by or scared of the system.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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While McDermott is out, Beane was promoted to president of football operations, a move that baffled many as much as the coach’s firing.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
20 Jan. 2026
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In August 2025, the IFA determined that Lebanon Utilities' leg of the project didn't necessitate an environmental impact statement, which baffled many on the committee who see a host of potential threats.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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For decades, this has puzzled physicists and engineers alike.—
Tejasri Gururaj,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
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Juarez was overwhelmed and a bit puzzled by some of the responses.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Befuddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befuddle. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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