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
By now, the months leading up to the ceremony—starting with the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where Anora won the Palme d’Or—are one big, bewildering blur to her. — Marley Marius, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026 For a working adult, deciding to go back to school can be a lonely and bewildering experience. — Brian Hartnack, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 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
  • Perhaps most perplexing are the patrons who aggressively flirt with him.
    — Jenelle Riley, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
  • More perplexing is the industry’s retreat despite evidence that diversity is in its economic interest.
    — Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of perplexing
Verb
  • The latest weakening of criteria is baffling if not unsurprising given the agency’s pitifully weak, unserious leadership.
    — Diana Urban, Hartford Courant, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The sequel, on the other hand, is shaped by baffling decisions from director Susanne Bier and cinematographer Simon Duggan that render the film antiseptic.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of baffling
Adjective
  • The story here is about the strange relationships that form in the wake of devastating loss, and an examination of the unpredictable, messy and confusing connections often found between people experiencing grief.
    — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Most of the controls are fairly intuitive, though finding certain features and settings can occasionally be confusing.
    — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of confusing
Verb
  • But what is puzzling is that the country’s leaders are not acting.
    — Oliver Melton, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2026
  • But doing so means obstructing the inner part of the corona, which harbors the most important processes that underpin the puzzling phenomena of the sun’s upper atmosphere.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of puzzling
Adjective
  • Its study of dark matter and dark energy could also give scientists new insights into two of the most confounding puzzles in astronomy.
    — Denise Chow, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Grief is one of the most confounding aspects of the human experience.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
Definition of confounding
Adjective
  • And as formidable as Seydoux can be, the character isn’t so much heartbreakingly conflicted as she is oddly muddled and underdeveloped.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • What was expected to have been achieved during offseason team bonding and then three weeks of preseason instead has left a muddled mess for coach Erik Spoelstra.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of muddled
Adjective
  • For residents like Joshua Walton, the scene was both emotional and frustrating.
    — Hannah McIlree, CBS News, 12 Nov. 2026
  • Sreemoy Talukdar, an editor for the Indian news website Firstpost, chalked it up to a frustrating Yankeeism.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of frustrating
Adjective
  • Still, there’s a line between normal kid messiness and a completely disorganized home with toys left on the ground to collect dust and grime.
    — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Whereas Jeff’s neighborhood is organized by architecture, Patrick’s is organized—or disorganized—by movement.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 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 13 Nov. 2026.

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