as in bewildered
suffering from mental confusion
the perennially befuddled professor was always forgetting where she'd left her glasses
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in baffled
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of befuddled
Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
And, at least to our befuddled mind, clarity as well.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 22 Oct. 2025
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 15 Sep. 2025
Stainton Williams has been similarly befuddled by his interactions with Citizens.
—Mario Ariza, ProPublica, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for befuddled
Adjective
Watts then looks toward the Kardashians camera and flashes a befuddled look.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
And, at least to our befuddled mind, clarity as well.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
And the offensive operation looked much smoother, as Payton meshed the Colts to death and befuddled their defense on a second-quarter touchdown in which tight end Adam Trautman split out wide.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 15 Sep. 2025
Stainton Williams has been similarly befuddled by his interactions with Citizens.
—Mario Ariza, ProPublica, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for befuddled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befuddled
Adjective
-
Olivier tried successfully to get the reader to understand how a gentle, pacific young man could come to kill more than a thousand people, and so capturing the tone and empathetic portrayal not only of Simo Häyhä and his colleagues but also of the often-bewildered Russian soldiers was essential.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The usually positive Gauff went negative, lacked energy and seemed bewildered and overwhelmed.—
Merlisa Lawrence Corbett,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Yet Howe, his coaches and recruitment staff were baffled by such early criticism.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Even Proctor’s defense attorney seemed baffled by the district attorney’s office’s handling of the case.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Still, some songs can disrupt our dazed habit of barely listening and give us something to participate in.—
Mitch Therieau,
New Yorker,
7 Feb. 2026
-
But plenty of people tell of being left dazed and destabilized by ayahuasca ceremonies and struggling to return to their previous lives; some make sudden life changes that only bring distress and further trauma.—
Mattha Busby,
Rolling Stone,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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He was puzzled by friends who bought band T-shirts and obsessed over concerts.—
Shayla Love,
New Yorker,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Store employees were puzzled about any alleged involvement with El Primo.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Many people are confused because they’ve been placed in a new district.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
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What’s troubling about the drop in vaccination rates, however, is that confused — and at times contradictory — public debate around vaccines has almost certainly driven that decline.—
Josh M. Shepherd,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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She also was perplexed at the city’s inaction while noting a new leader offers a fresh perspective.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
13 Feb. 2026
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The moment became viral on social media, with some X users perplexed at the interview.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The 30-year-old appeared stunned and visibly emotional over her triumph after completing a smooth second run in the slalom, which is her best event.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
His bandmates were a little stunned, save Kevin Richardson.—
Ralphie Aversa,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The survey covers topics including impaired and distracted driving, seat belt use and bike and pedestrian safety.—
Joe Brandt,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
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As Chelsea’s staff and substitutes spilled onto the pitch to shake hands and celebrate their 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, Cole Palmer seemed distracted — turning around, clearly looking for something.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Befuddled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befuddled. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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