as in bewildered
suffering from mental confusion
the perennially befuddled professor was always forgetting where she'd left her glasses
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in baffled
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
most of the applicants were befuddled by the wording of one of the questions on the driving test
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of befuddled
Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
And, at least to our befuddled mind, clarity as well.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 22 Oct. 2025
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 15 Sep. 2025
Stainton Williams has been similarly befuddled by his interactions with Citizens.
—Mario Ariza, ProPublica, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for befuddled
Adjective
Watts then looks toward the Kardashians camera and flashes a befuddled look.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
And, at least to our befuddled mind, clarity as well.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
And the offensive operation looked much smoother, as Payton meshed the Colts to death and befuddled their defense on a second-quarter touchdown in which tight end Adam Trautman split out wide.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 15 Sep. 2025
Stainton Williams has been similarly befuddled by his interactions with Citizens.
—Mario Ariza, ProPublica, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for befuddled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befuddled
Adjective
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Olivier tried successfully to get the reader to understand how a gentle, pacific young man could come to kill more than a thousand people, and so capturing the tone and empathetic portrayal not only of Simo Häyhä and his colleagues but also of the often-bewildered Russian soldiers was essential.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The usually positive Gauff went negative, lacked energy and seemed bewildered and overwhelmed.—
Merlisa Lawrence Corbett,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Even Proctor’s defense attorney seemed baffled by the district attorney’s office’s handling of the case.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
This disconnect, despite all appearances of a serious campaign, has left many Democrats baffled.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Still, some songs can disrupt our dazed habit of barely listening and give us something to participate in.—
Mitch Therieau,
New Yorker,
7 Feb. 2026
-
But plenty of people tell of being left dazed and destabilized by ayahuasca ceremonies and struggling to return to their previous lives; some make sudden life changes that only bring distress and further trauma.—
Mattha Busby,
Rolling Stone,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Store employees were puzzled about any alleged involvement with El Primo.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
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For decades, this has puzzled physicists and engineers alike.—
Tejasri Gururaj,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
But someone in mental decline may go way out of their way or get very confused.—
Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
8 Feb. 2026
-
But Michele and Jesse Foster just seemed confused when the procession passed them on the street corner.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
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
-
Gargantuan boulders, twisted spiky trees, and vibrant sunset colors form an arid landscape that has perplexed and inspired creative titans like Jim Morrison and Gram Parsons for years.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Gianluigi Donnarumma looked stunned.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Playing 40 minutes of perhaps unfamiliar material before getting to the hits sounds challenging and, to be sure, some of the more lubricated audience members sat in stunned silence.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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As Chelsea’s staff and substitutes spilled onto the pitch to shake hands and celebrate their 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, Cole Palmer seemed distracted — turning around, clearly looking for something.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
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Making compost tea is not a good option for the chronically distracted gardener.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Befuddled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befuddled. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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