bewilder
verb
transitive verb
Synonyms
- addle
- baffle
- bamboozle
- beat
- befog
- befuddle
- bemuse
- buffalo
- confound
- confuse
- discombobulate
- disorient
- flummox
- fox
- fuddle
- get
- gravel
- maze
- muddle
- muddy
- mystify
- perplex
- pose
- puzzle
- vex
Example Sentences
New York Times, 21 July 2022 The confluence of Marine units and commanders involved in the accident can bewilder even the most savvy of observers. San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Feb. 2022 Ahead, more celebrity Halloween costumes to shock and bewilder you below, including Megan Thee Stallion, Halle Bailey, and Steve Buscemi. Vulture Editors, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2021 Nowadays, a lady who offered the back of her hand to a gentleman would only bewilder him. Washington Post, 28 June 2021 Some may bewilder you, like the bag of fluffy bonito flakes. BostonGlobe.com, 18 May 2021 Joll is introduced onscreen stepping out of his carriage with remarkably odd sunglasses, which immediately bewilder the Magistrate. Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 7 Aug. 2020 High fashion, for most people, is a passing blur of bewildering, ever-shifting, sometimes ridiculous seasonal image statements. Cintra Wilson, The New York Review of Books, 11 Feb. 2020 The message bewildered one of the bill’s sponsors, Asian Americans Advancing Justice. Bob Egelko, SFChronicle.com, 16 Oct. 2019 See More Word History
1633, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
bewilder
verb
bewilder
verb
Synonyms & Similar Words
- perplex
- baffle
- confuse
- puzzle
- befuddle
- bemuse
- mystify
- embarrass
- confound
- disorient
- vex
- stun
- bother
- fluster
- muddle
- flummox
- bamboozle
- discombobulate
- rattle
- disturb
- fuddle
- addle
- maze
- befog
- pose
- fox
- buffalo
- gravel
- upset
- muddy
- unsettle
- beat
- get
- disconcert
- discomfit
- nonplus
- blow one's mind
- faze
- distress
- mortify
- deceive
- abash
- stump
- stick
- mislead
- dismay
- agitate
- perturb
- beguile
- unhinge
- go to one's head
- delude
- fool
- misguide
- discomfort
- disquiet
- chagrin
- discompose
- discountenance
- weird out
- hoodwink
- trick
- cozen
- humbug
- dupe
- hoax
- gull
- snow
- string along
- take in
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- assure
- satisfy
- inform
- reassure
- enlighten
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of bewilder are confound, distract, dumbfound, nonplus, perplex, and puzzle. While all these words mean "to baffle and disturb mentally," bewilder stresses a confusion of mind that hampers clear and decisive thinking.
The meanings of confound and bewilder largely overlap; however, confound implies temporary mental paralysis caused by astonishment or profound abasement.
In some situations, the words distract and bewilder are roughly equivalent. However, distract implies agitation or uncertainty induced by conflicting preoccupations or interests.
While the synonyms dumbfound and bewilder are close in meaning, dumbfound suggests intense but momentary confounding; often the idea of astonishment is so stressed that it becomes a near synonym of astound.
Although the words nonplus and bewilder have much in common, nonplus implies a bafflement that makes orderly planning or deciding impossible.
The synonyms perplex and bewilder are sometimes interchangeable, but perplex adds a suggestion of worry and uncertainty especially about making a necessary decision.
The words puzzle and bewilder can be used in similar contexts, but puzzle implies existence of a problem difficult to solve.