as in to perplex
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
the change in policy seems to have bewildered many of our customers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in dazed
suffering from mental confusion
the bewildered child wandered aimlessly around the playground
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in confusion
a state of mental uncertainty
he gave her a look of inexpressible bewilderedness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 bewilder
Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 13 July 2025
In the moment, Kyle looked bewildered that the musician had singled him out, smiling with his mouth open in shock.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 20 May 2025
Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 27 July 2025
But what unfolded was less a technical exercise and more a masterclass in Gen Z and Gen Alpha slang, leaving bewildered and amused Austinites in its wake.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for bewilder
Verb
Still, my friends and I, specifically those who were teen-agers or older at the time of 9/11, have been bewildered by the Islamophobia of the moment, which feels especially vintage and plainspoken, not massaged into obfuscatory rhetoric or angling for any greater point.
—Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 13 July 2025
In the moment, Kyle looked bewildered that the musician had singled him out, smiling with his mouth open in shock.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 20 May 2025
Adjective
Europe, broke and bewildered, will have a choice: follow suit or fade into irrelevance and bankruptcy.
—Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 27 July 2025
But what unfolded was less a technical exercise and more a masterclass in Gen Z and Gen Alpha slang, leaving bewildered and amused Austinites in its wake.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for bewilder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bewilder
Adjective
-
The woman called her daughter but was too dazed to explain what had happened.—
John Wisely,
Freep.com,
3 Aug. 2025
-
After successfully nabbing one, the dazed comedian flicked her hair back and stumbled out of the wind machine to reveal the winning number.—
Emlyn Travis,
EW.com,
17 July 2025
Noun
-
Role Clarity If current employees aren’t sure who owns what, new hires will step straight into the confusion.—
Leyda Lazo,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
There is no confusion when a woman makes a decision regarding her relationship.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
In the comments on her Instagram, fans and friends seemed confused as to whether Haddish actually welcomed a baby or not.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
4 Aug. 2025
-
Ironically, this search for answers often leaves them feeling more upset, confused and longing for the one who rejected them.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Zero visibility strategy: In cases of near-zero visibility due to dense fog, initiate your hazard lights and locate a secure spot, such as a nearby business parking area, to pull over and come to a halt.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Aug. 2025
-
The clarity provided by such a statement can break through the fog of mistrust between Israelis and Palestinians and allow both to imagine a future worth striving for.—
Ami Ayalon,
Foreign Affairs,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
At the river’s edge, a quarter-mile-long Mitsubishi factory was a mountainous tangle of steel.—
Charles Pellegrino,
Rolling Stone,
6 Aug. 2025
-
In contrast with the tangle of criminal cases which mostly stalled against Trump, Brazilian courts moved swiftly against Bolsonaro, threatening to end his political career and fracture his right-wing movement.—
Ricardo Brito,
USA Today,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
El Financiero also reported that authorities are investigating whether the accident was caused by excessive speed or distracted driving.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
In high school, she was disorganized and distracted.—
Holden Seidlitz,
New Yorker,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
If those two regularly start games together alongside Solanke or Richarlison, opposition defences will be left feeling dizzy.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
31 July 2025
-
Over at the theme park's Universal Studios, a 72-year-old woman reported feeling weak and dizzy after spending time on the Jimmy Fallon Race Through New York attraction in May.—
Nicholas Rice,
People.com,
26 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bewilder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bewilder. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share