befog

[ bih-fog, -fawg ]

verb (used with object)

, be·fogged, be·fog·ging.

1. to envelop in fog or obscurity; becloud:

   Low-hanging clouds befogged the city.

2. to render unclear; confuse by irrelevancies or distractions:

   Petty differences befogged the legislators' task.

   Synonyms: obfuscate, muddle, blur, confound

befog

/ bɪˈfɒɡ /

verb

1. to surround with fog
2. to make confused, vague, or less clear

Word History and Origins

Origin of befog¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; be- + fog ¹

Example Sentences

All these mysteries that befog us are not mysteries really; they are the mother-tongue of nature.

From Project Gutenberg

Partisan politics befog the tariff issue afloat as well as ashore, and one's course is not easy to chart.

From Project Gutenberg

The schools, in their general mix-up of titles, certainly befog the public mind.

From Project Gutenberg

Their position is strongest when they maintain that these topics have a tendency to befog the intellect.

From Project Gutenberg

I think I have read somewhere that the function of present-day criticism is to befog the mind and blur the object criticised.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• amaze
• astonish
• astound
• befuddle
• bewilder
• confound
• dazzle
• distract
• dizzy
• dumbfound
• flabbergast
• muddle
• mystify
• overwhelm
• paralyze
• perplex
• petrify
• puzzle
• startle
• stun