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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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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 befuddled

Adjective

Inside, a fuzzy white possum, seduced by cat food, sits, befuddled. — Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026 The befuddled host is left to shake his head as the trio wander off. — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 24 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

They were soon surrounded by a crowd of about 1,000 bewildered villagers, who alerted forest officials patrolling nearby.

— Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
What appears before the bewildered trio is a boy with a face resembling a frog’s, named Fūsuke.

— Jennifer Maas, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of bewildered

Verb

On a lesser show, Lee would have thrown Dale a meaningful look, baffled that the material world was aligning with the woo-woo.

— Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of baffled

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

That the Houthis are able to score hits from 500 miles away, despite the Saudi military spending tens of billions of dollars on multi-layered air defense systems, has puzzled experts.

— Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of puzzled

Adjective

After receiving the alpha-lipoic acid, Hawrylak felt confused and dizzy.

— D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
Their offensive line, which was supposed to be a strength, was confused and overwhelmed by a Wisconsin defense that allowed 41 points to Notre Dame.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of confused

Verb

At Telluride, Fielder, who had initially planned to stay behind the scenes, admitted he was still perplexed by the couple’s openness.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 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 operation then went city-wide and focused on speeding, distracted driving, pedestrian and bicycle-related violations, as well as unsafe movements and right-of-way violations.

— Coleman Petit, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
The invention’s intent was to cut down on distracted driving — in addition to the frustration of digging around under filthy car seats.

— Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of distracted

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befuddled

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Style

“Befuddled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befuddled. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of befuddled

adjective

verb

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