BEWILDERED Synonyms: 113 Similar and Opposite Words

bewildered 1 of 2

adjective

bi-ˈwil-dərd

Definition of bewildered

as in dazed

suffering from mental confusion the bewildered child wandered aimlessly around the playground

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bewildered

2 of 2

verb

past tense of bewilder

as in puzzled

to throw into a state of mental uncertainty the change in policy seems to have bewildered many of our customers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of bewildered

Adjective

Five successive heat waves this year and a lack of any significant rainfall in London since June have left the city — and much of the country — stultified and bewildered. — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 14 Aug. 2026 Saturday will be Simpson’s first chance to make an impression on fans – some of whom were left bewildered by his selection, considering the ever-rock-solid standing of Stafford. — Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 14 Aug. 2026

Verb

Former Republican state senator Jeff Brandes, who now leads the Florida Policy Project, said he was bewildered by the governor's proposal. — Jim Defede, CBS News, 31 May 2026 Gasly seems faintly bewildered by the designation. — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bewildered

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bewildered

Adjective

Laiken Randolph appeared dazed, and possibly on drugs, officers remarked.

— Brittany Wallman, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2026
Hsu maps a Los Angeles of leftovers and castoffs; portraits of friends and strangers in the street are full of dazed, inscrutable expressions.

— Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of dazed

Verb

As Friday afternoon turned to evening, some reporters at the White House were puzzled by the president’s claim, given the lack of follow-up action.

— Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026
Many are puzzled by the reason, since enterprises have more powerful models and more capable agents than ever.

— Jakob Freund, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of puzzled

Verb

Some Broward commissioners said they are baffled as to why statewide prosecutors would be concerned about the county contracts or their desire to save money by cutting ties with the Sheriff’s Office.

— Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2026
Apple's stubborn insistence on keeping base iPhones at 60Hz while budget Android phones offer zippier refresh rates has always baffled me.

— Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of baffled

Adjective

King seemed stunned that an actual Black person had views that did not conform to her preconception of what a Black man should think.

— Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 19 Sep. 2026
So stunned was Sarkisian that the 52-year-old coach completely forgot how to form big-boy words with his mouth.

— Candace Buckner, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of stunned

Verb

While Peta protests at fashion week are nothing new, many were perplexed by the idea that wool should be removed from the supply chain.

— Sophie Lou Wilson, Vogue, 18 Sep. 2026
Nearly everyone outside Michigan was perplexed, or downright angry, about the outcome.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of perplexed

Adjective

This is a film that allows, wants, even demands that the viewer become distracted, tired, and fidgety.

— Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026
The driver was cited with distracted driving and failure to maintain a lane, and an internal investigation by MARTA has been launched, police said.

— Irene Wright, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of distracted

Adjective

What that film didn’t foretell was the Pakistani-American director’s fluent command of dizzy action setpieces.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026
Several other instances of illness linked to the MBG program have cropped up, including a group of 15 elementary schoolers and a school principal who became nauseous and dizzy after a meal in the Aceh province’s Bener Meriah regency, per the AP.

— Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of dizzy

Browse Nearby Words

bewilder

bewildered

bewilderedness

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Bewildered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bewildered. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of bewildered

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

tactile

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 25

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes