as in confusion
a state of mental uncertainty
the library patron was in obvious befuddlement over where to find the appropriate references
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Recent Examples of befuddlement
Clueless to the format of the (very real) interview show (answering questions while eating ever-increasing spicy hot wings), Cherish’s exasperation, befuddlement, and visceral agony is a comic wonder to watch.
—
Jennifer Silverman, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2026
And at that point, ushered into the floating mists of non-consensus with murmurings of political unease regarding content or intellectual befuddlement regarding style, the briefly sighted, singular beast of language vanishes from the visible landscape.
—Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
Tunnel fits have become so valuable that the teams themselves post them on official social media channels, to the delight (and sometimes befuddlement) of fans.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
Jennifer Silverman, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2026
And at that point, ushered into the floating mists of non-consensus with murmurings of political unease regarding content or intellectual befuddlement regarding style, the briefly sighted, singular beast of language vanishes from the visible landscape.
—Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
Tunnel fits have become so valuable that the teams themselves post them on official social media channels, to the delight (and sometimes befuddlement) of fans.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befuddlement
Noun
-
The vast range of difficulty and rigor in academic assessment adds confusion for both learners and employers.—
Bryan Penprase,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
The Holii Travel Pill Organizer is compact enough to fit in a car compartment or backpack, and securely separates daily doses of medications in order to avoid any confusion on busy travel days.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
The splashing water captured by the camera is abstracted into a nebulous fog that dissolves the profile of a Parisian bridge in the background.—
Erika Landström,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business, and stop.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Her expressions of bewilderment were easy to see.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
-
Not out of cruelty but out of bewilderment.—
Daren Smith,
IndieWire,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Befuddlement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befuddlement. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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