Dictionary.com
definitions

befuddle

[bih-fuhd-l]
||
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR befuddle ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), be·fud·dled, be·fud·dling.

to confuse, as with glib statements or arguments: politicians befuddling the public with campaign promises.
to make stupidly drunk.

RELATED CONTENT

Words of Mystery and BewildermentRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE
10 Different Ways To Say You’re SpeechlessRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

dumbfound, bewilder, puzzle, muddle, distract, baffle, daze, stupefy, fluster, intoxicate, disorient, inebriate, bother, addle, shake

Nearby words

  1. before you know it,
  2. beforehand,
  3. beforetime,
  4. befoul,
  5. befriend,
  6. beg,
  7. beg off,
  8. beg the question,
  9. beg to differ,
  10. beg, borrow, or steal

Origin of befuddle

First recorded in 1885–90; be- + fuddle
Related formsbe·fud·dler, nounbe·fud·dle·ment, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for befuddle

British Dictionary definitions for befuddle

befuddle

verb (tr)

to confuse, muddle, or perplex
to make stupid with drink
Derived Formsbefuddlement, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for befuddle

befuddle

v.

"confuse," 1873, from be- + fuddle; originally "to confuse with strong drink or opium" (by 1832). An earlier word in the same sense was begunk (1725). Related: Befuddled; befuddling.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper