befuddlement

noun

as in confusion
a state of mental uncertainty the library patron was in obvious befuddlement over where to find the appropriate references

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 befuddlement That coach’s befuddlement befuddles me, almost as much as Bowles’ decision. — Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026 No shade on Parrish — as written, milquetoast Kevin is little more than an air of genial befuddlement with a jawline, an impression not helped by the predictability of his arc. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026 But her real aim is to solve her romantic befuddlement by sleeping with her celebrity crush, who happens to be Jon Hamm. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 10 July 2026 Clips of the group’s march in Washington, as well as its befuddlement with the subway, went viral. — Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026 While some American commentators voiced befuddlement or disdain toward Europe’s low rates of air conditioning, France’s far right seized on the moment to criticize the government and push a plan for widespread AC installation, bringing the issue into the culture war zeitgeist. — J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 28 June 2026 Clueless to the format of the (very real) interview show (answering questions while eating ever-increasing spicy hot wings), Cherish’s exasperation, befuddlement, and visceral agony is a comic wonder to watch. — Jennifer Silverman, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2026 And at that point, ushered into the floating mists of non-consensus with murmurings of political unease regarding content or intellectual befuddlement regarding style, the briefly sighted, singular beast of language vanishes from the visible landscape. — Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026 Tunnel fits have become so valuable that the teams themselves post them on official social media channels, to the delight (and sometimes befuddlement) of fans. — Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befuddlement
  1. confusion
  2. fog
  3. bewilderment
Noun
  • The players’ win brought confusion over whether the injunction applied only to eligibility rules or extended to related rules, such as the transfer portal.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Combs’ rep offered a glimpse into the situation and the confusion seemingly surrounding it.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of confusion
Noun
  • Loose white sand blew into the air and whirled around at the edge of the sea like a fog.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The Tigers’ entourage, scheduled to appear here for SEC Basketball Media Day, could not take off due to the fog, grounding them for their session, the league announced.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of fog
Noun
  • Religion, fear, prejudice, affection, money, family history, and bewilderment can crowd the same room.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026
  • There are four of us on staff at The Verge actively testing Googlebooks and, frankly, our internal Slack discussions have been mostly filled with collective venting of frustrations, disappointments, and bewilderment.
    — Antonio G. Di Benedetto, The Verge, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of bewilderment

Browse Nearby Words

befuddled
befuddlement
befuddlements
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Cite this Entry

“Befuddlement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befuddlement. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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