bewildering 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of bewilderingnext
as in perplexing

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Dissimilar Words

bewildering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of bewilder
as in baffling
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 bewildering
Adjective
Here, clouds of stars and dark interstellar dust combine in a bewildering array as seen in binoculars and telescopes. — Joe Rao, Space.com, 26 June 2026 Trump’s proposal for a National Garden of American Heroes, where visitors could commune with statues of 250 historic figures, is simply bewildering. — Yoni Appelbaum, The Atlantic, 8 June 2026
Verb
There aren’t many ways to earn a club’s first win better than bewildering the league’s defending champions at their place. — Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 26 Mar. 2026 McNutt housed some 700 kids — about one-third of the population of French Lick — and Bird found the campus outside the dormitory walls bewildering. — Keith O'Brien, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bewildering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bewildering
  1. perplexing
  2. baffling
  3. confusing
  4. puzzling
  5. confounding
  6. muddled
  7. frustrating
  8. disorganized
Adjective
  • Despite a relatively long history of drive-through bans, the idea is still novel and perplexing to Californians who love their burgers and love their cars.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2026
  • For some, evoking death and sacrifice was perplexing and distasteful; a step too far.
    — Harry Booth, Time, 17 July 2026
Definition of perplexing
Verb
  • Despite some protests about a dog contributing to the game, Buddy — clad in a bright blue jersey and two pairs of basketball kicks — scores baffling basket after baffling basket, leaving the other team shocked.
    — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026
  • While Loathe’s baffling compositional choices may jump out first, the album’s most glaring flaw is its production.
    — Patrick Lyons, Pitchfork, 16 July 2026
Definition of baffling
Adjective
  • But underneath the headline numbers, the job market is sending mixed and confusing signals.
    — Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The warm and fuzzy feeling of seeing a few familiar faces in the first season evaporated because of a frequently confusing plot about androids.
    — Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of confusing
Verb
  • The encyclical’s critique of military AI is similarly puzzling.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2026
  • It's become a world of quick and easy solutions for life's puzzling issues; seemingly solving them in 45 seconds or using household remedies.
    — John Shumway, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of puzzling
Adjective
  • Grief is one of the most confounding aspects of the human experience.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
  • In 2021, one year into D’Amaro’s tenure and following COVID shutdowns, Disney did away with FastPass and introduced a confounding and very costly series of pay-to-skip passes, which require timing advanced booking of limited slots in these formerly free-to-enter shorter lines.
    — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of confounding
Adjective
  • In the summer of 1991, a group of conspirators staged a muddled coup to overthrow then-USSR president Mikhail Gorbachev, ultimately accelerating the shift from communism to capitalism.
    — Jake Angelo, semafor.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The Jays, with the American League picture still so muddled, probably won’t be the only team trying to buy and sell.
    — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of muddled
Adjective
  • What’s frustrating is the capacity to end voter registration already exists.
    — Ellen Kurz, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Though Gakpo was a frustrating watch at times throughout last season at Liverpool, his nose for a goalscoring opportunity cannot be denied.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of frustrating
Adjective
  • In fact, OpenEvidence scored lower on clarity than general models, with reviewers noting disorganized responses and incomplete clinical content.
    — Garth Friesen, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
  • Road transportation oversight in Peru is weak, and emergency assistance is slow and disorganized, according to experts who believe the solution lies in legal reform.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
Definition of disorganized

Browse Nearby Words

bewilderedness
bewildering
bewilderment
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Cite this Entry

“Bewildering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bewildering. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bewildering

Nglish: Translation of bewildering for Spanish Speakers

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