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
Expecting to catch their limit this week, the Dodgers were instead befuddled by the Miami Marlins, who had most of the answers from the mound and just enough from the plate.
—
Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 29 Apr. 2026
This description recalls what leadership expert Jason Wild previously told Fortune about how AI tools are probabilistic, befuddling managers everywhere.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2026
Duchamp’s ensuing readymades, many of them iconic works of the Dada movement of the 1910s, continued to vex and befuddle.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Warren senior right-hander Peyton Balanag throws a pitch that can befuddle hitters.
—Steve Reaven, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for befuddle
Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 29 Apr. 2026
This description recalls what leadership expert Jason Wild previously told Fortune about how AI tools are probabilistic, befuddling managers everywhere.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2026
Duchamp’s ensuing readymades, many of them iconic works of the Dada movement of the 1910s, continued to vex and befuddle.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Warren senior right-hander Peyton Balanag throws a pitch that can befuddle hitters.
—Steve Reaven, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for befuddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befuddle
Verb
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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.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
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Similarly, the defensively bewildering 9-6 loss the Wild suffered to start Round 2 in Colorado set the tone for five games that would ultimately be their undoing.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
3 June 2026
Verb
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But there were also perplexing moments that punctured the gravitas of the event (even for an event built around hand-to-hand combat).—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
15 June 2026
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Aryna Sabalenka being asked to dance after defeating Naomi Osaka in the French Open has one former American tennis star perplexed.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
Verb
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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.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
20 June 2026
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Why The Market Misprices Good Companies Investors often confuse business quality with investment quality.—
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Verb
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The Illinois numbers, especially this year’s, are baffling experts.—
Adriana Pérez,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
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Using humane methods like squirrel baffles and tree nets can effectively keep squirrels out of your fruit trees.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
18 June 2026
Verb
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But as other mathematicians would explore, there are irrational numbers with Lagrange values larger than 3, which puzzle researchers to this day.—
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
19 June 2026
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This is, famously, one of the trickier accessories to puzzle into your luggage.—
Rosie Jarman,
Vogue,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Befuddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befuddle. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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