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
After Pakman explains the way tariffs harm American companies, Kelly seems befuddled.
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Allison Morrow, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024
Shopping within the Dash Smart Shelf product category was just as befuddling as going directly to Amazon.com.
—Lauren Goode, WIRED, 8 Mar. 2021
Spiritualists were also early adopters of novel technologies such as photography – still befuddling to their public – exploiting simple tricks such as double negatives to create phantom images.
—Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024
Scientists are befuddled by the storm’s hexagonal shape.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for befuddle 
Allison Morrow, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024
Shopping within the Dash Smart Shelf product category was just as befuddling as going directly to Amazon.com.
—Lauren Goode, WIRED, 8 Mar. 2021
Spiritualists were also early adopters of novel technologies such as photography – still befuddling to their public – exploiting simple tricks such as double negatives to create phantom images.
—Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024
Scientists are befuddled by the storm’s hexagonal shape.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for befuddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befuddle
Verb
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When Daphna posed the question to the room, Annie looked bewildered.Julia Whelan Krish Seenivasan Lance Neal, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2024
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TikTok user Shannon Dudley Jr., a commercial fisherman from Everglades City, Florida, shared a video of the strange sight that has bewildered viewers.Matt Robison, Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
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At first, Benji’s friends and family were perplexed.Amelia Tait, WIRED, 5 Dec. 2024
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Dollar said she was perplexed by the explanation because her supervisor Kado-Fong had been trying to get the OK to have Dollar receive training to prepare her for the technician role.Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2024
Verb
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These tools blur the line between reality and fiction, which can confuse audiences, especially younger viewers.Gerui Wang, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
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However, her version is not to be confused with the film’s official soundtrack.Angel Saunders, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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But the lack of process in choosing the district's next leader left those board members, and some community members, baffled.Madeline Mitchell, The Enquirer, 2 Dec. 2024
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Some fans were baffled by the decision to give an almost comically elaborate treatment to an album that garnered a tepid response upon its initial release, contributing to its reputation as a minor entry in the Lennon canon.Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Your journey to prosperity can be a complicated maze full of puzzling contradictions.Mark Travers, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
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Amid all the drama, a video of Blueface having a prison call with a fan has been making rounds online, leaving fans puzzled on if he is actually incarcerated or home.Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 26 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near befuddle
Cite this Entry
“Befuddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befuddle. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
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