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
For those counties that stayed on the list during its short life, its makeup befuddled some commissioners, who didn't understand why they were included.
—
Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 18 July 2025
Also, the moment when the actor raised the whiskey glass to his mouth completely befuddled consumers.
—Seth Reiss, New Yorker, 10 July 2025
Gonzalez quickly drove him in with an RBI triple, which befuddled center fielder Brenton Doyle.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 9 July 2025
The stock comeback of the last two months has perplexed many investors, who remain befuddled by the market's insistence to look past conflict, tariffs and major challenges to the economic outlook, to make short work of recovering losses from their April lows.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for befuddle
Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 18 July 2025
Also, the moment when the actor raised the whiskey glass to his mouth completely befuddled consumers.
—Seth Reiss, New Yorker, 10 July 2025
Gonzalez quickly drove him in with an RBI triple, which befuddled center fielder Brenton Doyle.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 9 July 2025
The stock comeback of the last two months has perplexed many investors, who remain befuddled by the market's insistence to look past conflict, tariffs and major challenges to the economic outlook, to make short work of recovering losses from their April lows.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for befuddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befuddle
Verb
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And aren’t our real-life romantic complications bewildering enough?—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
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Its ginormous investments in higher-value, tech-heavy sectors from smartphones to autos to semiconductors to biotechnology are disrupting the global landscape at bewildering speed.—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Many historians have been perplexed by how such a seemingly simple man as Shakespeare could have written works of such grandeur and depth.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Aug. 2025
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Norman is perplexed by shootings like this.—
David Clarey,
jsonline.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This decision could confuse your friends.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
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The season ended with the two attending a sleepover at Cody's house after his mom confused Beavis and Butt-Head with her son's friends.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That’s baffling to me that it was even checked.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
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Willis, a seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker who starred for the San Francisco 49ers, was baffled by Jerry Jones sending Parsons to Green Bay.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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After getting entangled in a puzzling murder, the two go on the run to solve the case while also trying to piece their relationship back together.—
James Mercadante,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
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This mystery puzzled scientists because ice was not supposed to behave like that.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Befuddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befuddle. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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