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
Literary Hub, 23 Mar. 2026
And a great character beat as Clark looks on in befuddled admiration.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2026
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
The Tea Party sprang out of the grass roots and roared at befuddled Congressional representatives in town halls across the country.
—Literary Hub, 23 Mar. 2026
And a great character beat as Clark looks on in befuddled admiration.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2026
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
-
Everyone was so relieved to see how bewildered everyone else was that the feeling in this place was almost festive.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Numerous cryptocurrency novices become bewildered by intricate decals and fluctuating percentages.—
Malana VanTyler,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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They are baffled by filmmakers who do not think more aggressively about sustainability, ownership, and business models around their work.—
Dana Harris-Bridson,
IndieWire,
18 May 2026
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Such an unconventional approach baffled plenty of people, including the show’s musical composer Marvin Hamlisch, who at the time was in high demand in the film industry and halfway to becoming an EGOT.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
As more miners turn up dead, Cher, a dazed young woman appears, seductive, ravenous and out for blood.—
Liz Shackleton,
Deadline,
13 May 2026
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Emotions boiled over earlier in the period after Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven crushed Hurricanes counterpart Alexander Nikishin with a huge hit that left the Russian dazed and needing help off the ice.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Three cases were reported earlier this week, long after the typical growing season for the mushrooms behind the illnesses, leaving public health officials and mycologists puzzled about why the poisonings have been so widespread and what is causing the trend.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
15 May 2026
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But China has spent more than a year building strategic stockpiles, a move that puzzled many observers at the time and has now paid off.—
Amena Bakr,
semafor.com,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Indeed, Mary Hartman was a confused—and confusing—protagonist for a country in the midst of second-wave feminism.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
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Lawsuits have been filed in response and some, including Cassidy and Fleming, warn the move is leaving voters confused.—
Gaby Vinick,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
Verb
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As a longtime rider I, too, am perplexed by regular displays of poor customer service by CTA employees.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
-
As Season 3 of Euphoria continues to stir up some controversy, one of the show’s stars is perplexed by Cassie’s (Sydney Sweeney) OnlyFans storyline.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Some looked stunned, others threw up their hands or clapped.—
Camila Gomez,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
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But within seconds of being knocked back, the responding officers were back up, checking on each other and evacuating stunned residents — including several children — from the rubble of the home, the video shows.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Screen time has become a default rather than an intentional choice for harried teachers and distracted students.—
Will Oremus,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2026
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Coltrane’s tactical heist operations begin to unravel and land him on the police’s radar when one of his crew members becomes distracted during multiple jobs.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Befuddled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befuddled. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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