as in dazed
suffering from mental confusion
the bewildered child wandered aimlessly around the playground
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in puzzled
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 bewildered
Alice Burton, Vulture, 20 Apr. 2026
This sometimes left audience members bewildered about what had actually happened.
—ArsTechnica, 6 Apr. 2026
Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
But unlike his Sophoclean namesake, Orestes is bewildered by this escalation and refuses.
—Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bewildered
Adjective
Connie is bewildered but happy about this.
—Alice Burton, Vulture, 20 Apr. 2026
This sometimes left audience members bewildered about what had actually happened.
—ArsTechnica, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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
But unlike his Sophoclean namesake, Orestes is bewildered by this escalation and refuses.
—Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bewildered
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bewildered
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Some looked stunned, others threw up their hands or clapped.—
Camila Gomez,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
-
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
Verb
-
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
-
Screen time has become a default rather than an intentional choice for harried teachers and distracted students.—
Will Oremus,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
Some adolescents may appear dizzy, disoriented or unusually fatigued.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
-
In another clip, the deer continues to prance around the meadow, once again spinning in circles and once again appearing to grow dizzy.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bewildered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bewildered. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
