befuddle

verb

be·​fud·​dle bi-ˈfə-dᵊl How to pronounce befuddle (audio)
bē-
befuddled; befuddling; befuddles
Synonyms of befuddle

transitive verb

1
: to muddle or stupefy with or as if with drink
… befuddled with drink all the time.—Ellen Glasgow
2
: confuse, perplex
a problem that still befuddles the experts
befuddlement
bi-ˈfə-dᵊl-mənt How to pronounce befuddle (audio)
bē-
noun

Synonyms of befuddle

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of befuddle in a Sentence

most of the applicants were befuddled by the wording of one of the questions on the driving test
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Of course, this is just a simple way to look at a complex problem that befuddles property owners, insurance companies and policymakers alike. — Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 21 June 2026 Duchamp’s ensuing readymades, many of them iconic works of the Dada movement of the 1910s, continued to vex and befuddle. — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 8 Apr. 2026 Needless to say, the Pinnacles' beauty has continued to both befuddle and astonish visitors today. — Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 2 June 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for befuddle

Word History

Etymology

be- + fuddle

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of befuddle was in 1801

Rhymes for befuddle

See All Rhymes for befuddle

Browse Nearby Words

befrogged
befuddle
befuddled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Befuddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/befuddle. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

befuddle

verb
be·​fud·​dle bi-ˈfəd-ᵊl How to pronounce befuddle (audio)
befuddled; befuddling
-ˈfəd-liŋ, 
-ᵊl-iŋ
1
: to dull the senses of with or as if with too much drink : stupefy
2
: confuse sense 1a, perplex
befuddlement
-mənt How to pronounce befuddle (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on befuddle

Nglish: Translation of befuddle for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All