bewilderment

[ bih-wil-der-muhnt ]

noun

1. bewildered bewildered state.
2. a confusing maze or tangle, as of objects or conditions:

   a bewilderment of smoke, noise, and pushing people.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bewilderment¹

First recorded in 1810–20; bewilder + -ment

Example Sentences

If the mob’s bewilderment over the great building before them is one dominant feature of the day — whether to trash it or venerate it — its bewilderment over the police is even greater.

From ProPublica

He wears it with a fluid ease you can spot at Clemson, with almost — almost — a smidgen of bewilderment at the surrounding fuss.

From Washington Post

In the room that day were frustration, outrage and a lot of bewilderment.

From ProPublica

As time wore on, the switch from import to export only amplified that sense of bewilderment.

From ProPublica

Ask Stefan Jockusch what a factory might look like in 10 or 20 years, and the answer might leave you at a crossroads between fascination and bewilderment.

From MIT Technology Review

As a result, the water sank into the ground, prompting migratory cranes to issue calls of “grief and bewilderment.”

From The Daily Beast

There were two modes of being with him, I think it was seduction on the one hand and bewilderment on the other.

From The Daily Beast

News of the nixing spread to every corner of the Internet, with bloggers and commenters expressing bewilderment at the decision.

From The Daily Beast

The billions of snippets of sadness and bewilderment spinning across the Net confirm who this amazing boy was to all of us.

From The Daily Beast

As he sifted through the papers, Michael felt “no anger, just bewilderment,” he told me.

From The Daily Beast

We stood staring after the fugitives in perfect bewilderment, totally unable to explain their apparently causeless panic.

From Project Gutenberg

In bewilderment she brought the ark into the room, and read the letter addressed to Janet and herself.

From Project Gutenberg

Edna's face was a blank picture of bewilderment, which she never thought of disguising.

From Project Gutenberg

Aristide went back to his comfortless lodgings aflame with bewilderment, indignation and despair.

From Project Gutenberg

Winston smiled, though there was a wistfulness in his eyes as he saw the faint bewilderment in his companions' faces.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• confusion
• disorientation
• perplexity