as in bewildered
suffering from mental confusion
the perennially befuddled professor was always forgetting where she'd left her glasses
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in puzzled
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 befuddled
The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024
The Ukrainians to their credit shrugged off Russia’s apparent artillery superiority in Kursk, correctly surmising that befuddled gunners are useless gunners.
—David Axe, Forbes, 28 Sep. 2024
McGregor, Ifans and Boyle play the befuddled adult children of a eccentric mother (Burstyn) who plants herself on a couch at a furniture store and won’t leave.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 July 2024
Only that initiation had prevented me from suffering a fate like that of my befuddled classmate.
—John Ganz, Harper's Magazine, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for befuddled 
Adjective
The book is filled with humor, canny allusion, beauty, and a profundity born of glimpsing fleeting human lives from the outside—through eyes that have seen epochs yet nonetheless remain befuddled.
—The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024
The Ukrainians to their credit shrugged off Russia’s apparent artillery superiority in Kursk, correctly surmising that befuddled gunners are useless gunners.
—David Axe, Forbes, 28 Sep. 2024
McGregor, Ifans and Boyle play the befuddled adult children of a eccentric mother (Burstyn) who plants herself on a couch at a furniture store and won’t leave.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 July 2024
Only that initiation had prevented me from suffering a fate like that of my befuddled classmate.
—John Ganz, Harper's Magazine, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for befuddled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befuddled
Adjective
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Yes, Sam Darnold looked bewildered against Detroit in the regular season finale, and that conjures all sorts of lingering doubts.Jordan Brenner, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
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The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore brought different weapons to this cute fight: bobcat Kilgore and otter Brie, both seeming a little bewildered by the powder that surrounded them today.NBC News, NBC News, 7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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My father, dazed and grieving, seemed open to being enlisted in an expedition.Youmna Melhem Chamieh, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
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On defense, Kurtz recalled jumping up to intercept a pass and being popped by an IMG player on the way down, leaving him dazed and dizzy.Kenny Jacoby, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The daughter of Palestinian immigrants to America, Arabella is both confused and demanding.Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2025
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Listen to this article Zach LaVine’s teammates are confused.Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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On the road:This confusing road sign warns of a hidden winter weather danger How much distracted driving increases during holidays and events Unable to view our graphics?Jim Sergent, USA TODAY, 24 Dec. 2024
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Musk is already the most distracted CEO in the world, though, and his governmental role won’t make that better.Brad Templeton, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Her complaints of feeling dizzy and experiencing numbness in her limbs were put down to dehydration.Latoya Gayle, People.com, 24 Dec. 2024
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In an emotional retelling, Foxx remembers being dizzy, frustrated, and stubbornly resistant to both physical and mental therapy.Krystie Lee Yandoli, Rolling Stone, 11 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near befuddled
Cite this Entry
“Befuddled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befuddled. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.
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