as in to bewilder
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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Recent Examples of befuddle
Siegel was especially befuddled by the revelation that world leaders knew about his captivity.
—
Tia Goldenberg, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2025
Too long of an instruction can sometimes befuddle the generative AI.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
The crowd looked befuddled, but Dugin cottoned at once.
—James Verini, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2025
People were befuddled by Francis Ford Coppola’s decades-in-the-making passion project, a rococo take on the collapse of an empire.
—Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for befuddle
Tia Goldenberg, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2025
Too long of an instruction can sometimes befuddle the generative AI.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
The crowd looked befuddled, but Dugin cottoned at once.
—James Verini, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2025
People were befuddled by Francis Ford Coppola’s decades-in-the-making passion project, a rococo take on the collapse of an empire.
—Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for befuddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befuddle
Verb
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Across the street, her husband Steve, who nursed Molly through her first fight with breast cancer a few years earlier, sits bewildered in the office of their couples therapist.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
27 Mar. 2025
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Carlie thinks the whole thing is hilarious, and Chelsea remains bewildered by any King Cake Baby obsession.—
Chelsea Brasted,
Axios,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Pritzker’s roughly 10-minute interview followed a week when Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs roiled stock markets and left American investors, businesses and the nation’s trading partners perplexed about what the president is attempting to achieve.—
Dan Petrella,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Apr. 2025
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Curious onlookers can expect to catch a glimpse of the full moon's peak at 8:22 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on April 12, 2025, yet the lack of a rosy hue may leave many people perplexed.—
Jack Knudson,
Discover Magazine,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Rob Lowe was recently confused for another celebrity during a Hollywood bus tour.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
18 Apr. 2025
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For decades, audiences have confused the two for one another — a line that's gotten all the more blurry as the Grammy winner launched her acting career and the Emmy winner began singing in multiple projects, including her turn as Sally Bowles in the 2014 Broadway revival of Cabaret.—
Dave Quinn,
People.com,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The idea that children are not routinely exposed to stories about gender and sexuality would baffle anyone with even a passing familiarity with the Disney canon.—
Ian Millhiser,
Vox,
15 Apr. 2025
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With a fastball that tops out around 87 mph, Barrett finds other ways to baffle hitters.—
Dave Melton,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Earlier this year, Gen Zers were puzzled by a classic millennial fashion staple: 6-inch high heels.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Apr. 2025
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At one point, McKinstry retreated to the dugout frustrated after another puzzling at-bat.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Befuddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befuddle. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.
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