befog

verb

bi-ˈfȯg How to pronounce befog (audio)
Definition of befognext
1
as in to confuse
to make (something) unclear to the understanding the professor's convoluted explanation only befogged the textbook's presentation of this scientific principle

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to obscure
to make dark, dim, or indistinct the morning murk befogged our view of the harbor

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to bewilder
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty completely befogged by the sudden change of subject

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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 befog The detective blames Nichols, the self-aggrandizing adviser who convinced the Cabazons to build a casino, for conjuring the intrigue that continued to befog the case long after his death. — Andrew Rice, WIRED, 4 Feb. 2011
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befog
  1. confuse
  2. obscure
  3. bewilder
  4. becloud
  5. darken
  6. perplex
  7. obfuscate
  8. blur
Verb
  • That is important because a boxy robotaxi that can drive both ways may confuse pedestrians, cyclists or other drivers.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • One of the biggest mistakes students make is confusing a loan approval with an affordability recommendation.
    — Scott White, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of confuse
Verb
  • While institutional incentives aren't wrong, portraying them solely as student benefits obscures a critical reality.
    — Scott White, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • Crews have been seen unloading equipment from trucks this week — much of it covered or obscured — and barricades have been placed near the perimeter of the arena.
    — Meriam Bouarrouj, NBC news, 4 July 2026
Definition of obscure
Verb
  • For three years straight, he’s kept up a pace that bewilders the industry’s leading comics.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 17 June 2026
  • The narrator and his wife find that their attachment to the charismatic and cryptic Chibi grows with the cat’s increasing visits, in a way that bewilders them but somehow bonds them closer together.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 June 2026
Definition of bewilder
Verb
  • But instead of sounding the alarm, defendants went out of their way to becloud the emerging scientific consensus.
    — Edward Fitzpatrick, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Aug. 2019
  • His flacks and surrogates hand out scraps of information grudgingly, infrequently, and beclouded by fragrant eructations of doublespeak.
    — Charles Seife, Slate Magazine, 1 Mar. 2017
Definition of becloud
Verb
  • Auto-correct tools generally brighten photos, but this one also knows when an image needs darkening.
    — Michael Muchmore, PC Magazine, 29 June 2026
  • Its most dramatic attack occurred last week, when hundreds of drones overwhelmed Moscow’s air defenses and hit refineries and storage tanks, sending up black plumes of smoke that darkened the sky.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 28 June 2026
Definition of darken
Verb
  • And Wednesday’s doubleheader — thanks to a Monday rainout that perplexed Counsell — certainly didn’t help the pitching staff.
    — Sean Hammond, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026
  • Sometimes those editing swings make sense, like incorporating more social-media posts and group chats, but other times the stylistic choices simply perplex.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 25 June 2026
Definition of perplex
Verb
  • As in the plays of William Shakespeare, Stoppard’s authorial point of view was intentionally obfuscated.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
  • However, it's also been heavily subsidized to encourage adoption and obfuscate the financial costs of AI.
    — Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 2 June 2026
Definition of obfuscate
Verb
  • As Americans live longer and spend more years managing chronic illness, cognitive decline and complex healthcare needs, the traditional boundaries between estate planning, financial planning and healthcare planning are beginning to blur.
    — John Samuels, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • Coleman, himself a musician, has intentionally blurred the lines between brewing and performance.
    — J.M. Banks, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2026
Definition of blur

Browse Nearby Words

befitting
befog
befogged
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Cite this Entry

“Befog.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befog. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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