1
as in to confuse
to make (something) unclear to the understanding
the professor's convoluted explanation only befogged the textbook's presentation of this scientific principle
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to obscure
to make dark, dim, or indistinct
the morning murk befogged our view of the harbor
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to bewilder
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
completely befogged by the sudden change of subject
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of befog
But the Taycan's launch control hits harder than the Model S's, smacking us with 1.3 g's of initial acceleration long enough to befog our noggin.
—
Dave Vanderwerp, Car and Driver, 7 Feb. 2020
This is the point where accidentally interacting with passerby distracted by their smartphones, their attention equally befogged by another kind of augmented reality, could result in a very bad ending.
—Matt Peckham, Time, 23 June 2017
The detective blames Nichols, the self-aggrandizing adviser who convinced the Cabazons to build a casino, for conjuring the intrigue that continued to befog the case long after his death.
—Andrew Rice, WIRED, 4 Feb. 2011
Dave Vanderwerp, Car and Driver, 7 Feb. 2020
This is the point where accidentally interacting with passerby distracted by their smartphones, their attention equally befogged by another kind of augmented reality, could result in a very bad ending.
—Matt Peckham, Time, 23 June 2017
The detective blames Nichols, the self-aggrandizing adviser who convinced the Cabazons to build a casino, for conjuring the intrigue that continued to befog the case long after his death.
—Andrew Rice, WIRED, 4 Feb. 2011
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befog
Verb
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The California Department of Public Health is urging people to avoid mushroom foraging altogether this year because death cap mushrooms are easily confused with safe, edible varieties.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
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Germany's exact medal count is a point of contention because Germany has not always competed in each Olympics as a unified country, which can lead to confusing medal counts.—
Aliza Chasan,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The individual, their face covered in a ski mask, appears to fiddle with the camera with a gloved hand before turning away to look for something to obscure the lens.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
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But despite the new program’s promising rhetoric, the scientific framing of the announcement obscures a deeper policy problem.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Oswalt confesses being bewildered by Bamford at first.—
Lisa Kennedy,
Variety,
30 Jan. 2026
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No matter what the reasons, Belichick, his former Patriots players and NFL fans, are bewildered by the snub.—
Merlisa Lawrence Corbett,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But instead of sounding the alarm, defendants went out of their way to becloud the emerging scientific consensus.—
Edward Fitzpatrick,
BostonGlobe.com,
7 Aug. 2019
-
His flacks and surrogates hand out scraps of information grudgingly, infrequently, and beclouded by fragrant eructations of doublespeak.—
Charles Seife,
Slate Magazine,
1 Mar. 2017
Verb
-
Hope is a dimming ember lighting our ever-darkening path.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
11 Feb. 2026
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The sky has darkened to a deep, clear blue, although that slow, slow sunset still burns orange on the horizon, and lamps are now glowing around the lagoon, as if set for a candlelit dinner.—
Rick Jordan,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The moment became viral on social media, with some X users perplexed at the interview.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
11 Feb. 2026
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That’s perplexing to Alvarez and Oakley, given that Cal State tuition is still relatively low, despite recent annual tuition hikes.—
Cal Matters,
Mercury News,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Lawyers for the group contend that the city is willfully obfuscating to cover up its inadequate efforts to live up to its settlement.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Jan. 2026
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Instead, DeSantis unleashed a rambling recap of the past seven years, with plenty of unsourced statistics, claims of victory that aren’t supported by reality, and wording often designed to obfuscate the most controversial parts of his tenure.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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With proper application, the blurring balm powder keeps makeup in place for hours on end with minimal touch-ups needed.—
Essence Wiley,
InStyle,
7 Feb. 2026
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As Hal witnesses crisis and inequality firsthand, the line between observing and acting begins to blur.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Befog.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befog. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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