bewilderment

noun

be·​wil·​der·​ment bi-ˈwil-dər-mənt 

bē-

1

: the quality or state of being lost, perplexed, or confused : the quality or state of being bewildered

She stared at them in bewilderment.

2

: a complicated or confusing state or condition : a bewildering tangle or confusion

a bewilderment of streets

Synonyms

• bafflement
• bamboozlement
• befuddlement
• bemusement
• bewilderedness
• confusedness
• confusion
• discombobulation
• distraction
• fog
• head-scratching
• maze [chiefly dialect]
• muddle
• mystification
• perplexity
• puzzlement
• tangle
• whirl

Examples of bewilderment in a Sentence

the slightest change in her daily routine leaves her in complete bewilderment

Recent Examples on the Web

The reaction across the region ranged from frantic stockpiling to confused bewilderment to calmly hunkering down and making do with old-fashioned electricity-free ways of living. —Natasha Frost, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025

To the alternating fascination, bewilderment and envy of its European neighbors, Switzerland, population nearly 9 million, has more bunkers per capita than anywhere else in the world — enough to guarantee shelter space to every single resident in the event of a crisis. —Jessi Jezewska Stevens, The Dial, 24 Apr. 2025

California voters should face similar bewilderment over Becerra’s announcement ... —John Gerardi, National Review, 9 Apr. 2025

The sure bet is that uncertainty will persist in ways that employers and consumers alike expect to damage the economy and that leave foreign leaders scratching their heads in bewilderment. —Josh Boak, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1793, in the meaning defined at sense 1