bedevil

verb

be·​dev·​il bi-ˈde-vəl 

bē-

bedeviled; bedeviling; bedevils

transitive verb

1

: to possess with or as if with a devil

2

: to cause distress : trouble

3

: to change for the worse : spoil

4

: to confuse utterly

bedevilment

bi-ˈde-vəl-mənt 

bē-

noun

Synonyms

• afflict
• agonize
• anguish
• beset
• besiege
• curse
• excruciate
• harrow
• persecute
• plague
• rack
• torment
• torture

Examples of bedevil in a Sentence

The theory bedevils scientists, none of whom have been able to prove it true or false.

The project has been bedeviled by problems since its inception.

Recent Examples on the Web

But the East Coast outpost, which originally was slated to open in June, has been bedeviled by a series of setbacks, from construction snafus to red-tape issues with the city’s landmarks preservation watchdogs to lengthy struggles over building permits. —Benjamin Svetkey and Julian Sancton, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Dec. 2024

Waiting a while to go into space These weather constraints have bedeviled Isaacman and his crew for two weeks. —Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 10 Sep. 2024

Stock market surges on Election Day Prices Inflation has bedeviled the U.S. for the past several years -- but in recent months price increases have slowed back down to a normal pace. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024

Fraser was bedeviled by Elizabeth Hurley’s Beelzebub in Bedazzled (2000), earned career-best reviews for the Vietnam drama The Quiet American (2002), and landed a role in the Best Picture-winning Crash (2004). —Andrew Walsh, EW.com, 26 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1574, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

bedevil

verb

be·​dev·​il bi-ˈdev-əl 

: to trouble or annoy again and again : pester, harass

bedeviled by problems

bedevilment

-mənt 

noun