bewildered 1 of 2

adjective

bi-ˈwil-dərd How to pronounce bewildered (audio)
Definition of bewilderednext
as in dazed
suffering from mental confusion the bewildered child wandered aimlessly around the playground

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bewildered

2 of 2

verb

past tense of bewilder
as in puzzled
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty the change in policy seems to have bewildered many of our customers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 bewildered
Adjective
That's when Penix, who was standing nearby, pointed at him and made a bewildered face. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2026 Five successive heat waves this year and a lack of any significant rainfall in London since June have left the city — and much of the country — stultified and bewildered. — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 14 Aug. 2026
Verb
In Texas, Spain bewildered France, neutralising what has looked like the most formidable attack in the tournament. — Sukhman Singh, New York Times, 18 July 2026 Former Republican state senator Jeff Brandes, who now leads the Florida Policy Project, said he was bewildered by the governor's proposal. — Jim Defede, CBS News, 31 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for bewildered
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bewildered
  1. dazed
  2. puzzled
  3. confused
  4. baffled
  5. stunned
  6. perplexed
  7. distracted
  8. dizzy
Adjective
  • But the man simply stood there with a dazed expression on his face, swaying gently in the living room of their small, cramped flat, like a lone tree in the breeze.
    — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Laiken Randolph appeared dazed, and possibly on drugs, officers remarked.
    — Brittany Wallman, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of dazed
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
Adjective
  • On-the-ground responders became confused by a deluge of 911 calls.
    — Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Blandino was happy to have scored an invite, even if fans were confused.
    — Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of confused
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
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
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
  • 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
Adjective
  • To that end, there are questions about whether Mayich and his teammates had access to sufficient water and the degree of attention ASU paid to his initial symptoms, including feeling dizzy.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Back in June, Richie cut a performance short after speaking on stage about feeling dizzy, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported at the time.
    — Jack Irvin, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of dizzy

Browse Nearby Words

bewilder
bewildered
bewilderedness
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Cite this Entry

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

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