BEFUDDLED Synonyms: 113 Similar and Opposite Words

befuddled 1 of 2

adjective

bi-ˈfə-dᵊld

Definition of befuddled

as in bewildered

suffering from mental confusion the perennially befuddled professor was always forgetting where she'd left her glasses

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befuddled

2 of 2

verb

past tense of befuddle

as in baffled

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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of befuddled

Adjective

The befuddled host is left to shake his head as the trio wander off. — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 24 Mar. 2026 The Tea Party sprang out of the grass roots and roared at befuddled Congressional representatives in town halls across the country. — Literary Hub, 23 Mar. 2026

Verb

Hardly ten more minutes had passed before Dembélé scored again—this time, cutting inside and stuttering his dribble and then, having befuddled the defense, rolling the ball right past it into an open corner of the goal. — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 27 June 2026 And, of course, onstage in his act, in which the 47-year-old comedian from Old Hickory, Tennessee, adopts the persona of a middle-aged everyschlub befuddled by modern life and expectations of basic competence. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for befuddled

Recent Examples of Synonyms for befuddled

Adjective

But Iñárritu’s caricatures become people in a way Kubrick’s don’t; as the bewildered President, for example, John Goodman is simultaneously grounded and theatrical in his presentation, recalling his best work with the Coen brothers.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2026
Five o’clock Saturday, the Riverside Stadium and Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg is fist-pumping a half-bewildered but fully enthused home crowd.

— Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of bewildered

Verb

Beyond being frustrated with the secrecy, locals said they were baffled by the lack of specifics and clarity the stakeholders had about the project, per the records.

— Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2026
And just last month, officials in Millcreek, Utah, were baffled to find an unknown camera installed on city property that neither the city nor police requested.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of baffled

Verb

He was puzzled when, after 2021, the number of children going into foster care dropped, but the state's costs for child welfare were rising.

— Joseph Shapiro, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
The photo also showed two others associated with Kremlev, part of a larger group of Russians whose presence puzzled some attendees.

— Alex Mierjeski, ProPublica, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of puzzled

Verb

California‘s seven Supreme Court justices appeared by turns perplexed by and incredulous of those theories during oral arguments last month.

— Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
They were perplexed at first, flummoxed, but pleasant, and unfortunately for them, already long gone from the airport.

— Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of perplexed

Adjective

As Bijan Robinson raced down the sideline and the rest of his Falcons teammates sprinted in pursuit, a mixture of an eerie hush and a stunned buzz fell over Caesars Superdome from a crowd still not entirely settled in its seats.

— Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 6 Oct. 2026
The record closed out the 13-song set, which ended in a staggering high note from Spiro and a standing ovation from a stunned ACL audience.

— Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of stunned

Adjective

The proprietary clipguard technology that comes with it drastically reduces distortion and a internal pop filter to prevent plosive breath noise so listeners aren't distracted.

— George Yang, PC Magazine, 5 Oct. 2026
When leaders are rushing and distracted, people quietly withdraw.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of distracted

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“Befuddled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befuddled. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of befuddled

adjective

verb

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