bedevil
verb (used with object)
to torment or harass maliciously or diabolically, as with doubts, distractions, or worries.
bedeviled
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past participleof bedevil.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof bedevil.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
bedevilverb (used with object)to torment or harass maliciously or diabolically, as with doubts, distractions, or worries.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Homeless encampments, piles of trash, vermin, and car break-ins have bedeviled the 4000 block of Babcock Avenue in Studio City since the property was abandoned, said neighbor Clint Ledsworth.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
When Paul and Gaz confront Dee, Taylor’s response is so cowardly that it’s pathetic, suggesting a spinelessness that bedeviled him long before he wound up in jail.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2026
He was stepping up to the plate to run against Susan Collins, the Maine Republican who has long bedeviled Democrats.
From Slate ● Apr. 13, 2026
The challenge of basing a long novel on a villain appears to have bedeviled Mr. Mahajan.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 11, 2026
In that bedeviled army there would be no more recruits.
From "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli
