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
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 Proving academic achievement through Microcredentials presents significant challenges for graduates, who have to access a bewildering range of online platforms to share their accomplishments, in addition to the familiar ritual of requesting an academic transcript from a university registrar. — Bryan Penprase, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Verb
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 Even a principled, well-meaning actor like Claude could face bewildering ethical conflicts. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 9 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
  • Jean appears to be the first character in that reset, which is confusing because the old versions of various X-Men characters are still here.
    — Eliana Dockterman, Time, 31 July 2026
  • Meanwhile, thousands more are waiting in county jails for cases that are winding through a new, convoluted and confusing system where geography controls the rules.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of confusing
Verb
  • That made the league’s scheduling decision especially puzzling.
    — Dan Zaksheske, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • This stingray is currently known from only two drainage systems, the Demerara River and the río Guanare which is… puzzling, to say the least, as these systems are not obviously connected in modern hydrology.
    — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 22 July 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
  • The somewhat muddled tale of a wealthy foreigner in Italy, going feral from the pressures of maternity both lost and found, feels longer on rather lofty style than substance for some time.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 30 July 2026
  • That particular brand of pseudo-advocacy, hiding behind the muddled language of law, has been a PEN America staple for at least a decade now.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2026
Definition of muddled
Adjective
  • But this approach just keeps you stuck on a frustrating conflict merry-go-round.
    — Sabrina Romanoff, CNBC, 30 July 2026
  • After another frustrating series loss, pressure continues to mount on the front office to find upgrades capable of jump-starting a lineup with postseason aspirations.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 29 July 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 7 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bewildering

Nglish: Translation of bewildering for Spanish Speakers

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