bewilder

[ bih-wil-der ]

/ bɪˈwɪl dər /

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See synonyms for: bewilder / bewildered / bewildering on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to confuse or puzzle completely; perplex: These shifting attitudes bewilder me.

OTHER WORDS FOR bewilder

mystify, nonplus, confuse, daze, confound, stagger, muddle.

See synonyms for bewilder on Thesaurus.com

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The rainy weather could not ________ my elated spirits on my graduation day.

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Origin of bewilder

First recorded in 1675–85; be- + wilder¹

Words nearby bewilder

bewhiskered, Bewick, Bewick's swan, bewigged, wild about, be, bewilder, bewildered, bewildering, bewilderment, bewitch, bewitched

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use bewilder in a sentence

Near the beginning of the book, Kennedy is shocked and bewildered when a civil rights activist says he would not willingly defend his country in wartime.
Robert Kennedy’s path from son of privilege to civil rights ally|Richard Ford|July 2, 2021|Washington Post
Current and former state officials are bewildered by Fann’s actions, and fret about the motives and consequences of the audit.
The mess in Maricopa|Dan Zak|May 21, 2021|Washington Post
Sam held very still, eyes wide, bewildered by the focused attention.
My Pandemic Baby Is Pulling Us Out of Our Cozy Cave. But How Will the World See a Disabled Mother Like Me?|Rebekah Taussig|April 28, 2021|Time
Spotify’s promise to bring more transparency to how podcasts are ranked on the charts is also a calculated pitch to podcast creators bewildered or disillusioned by the dominant, but resolutely mysterious, Apple Podcasts rankings.
Take Your Ears to the Movies|Nick Fouriezos|April 23, 2021|Ozy

Sometimes he roars like a tyrant, but there are also moments when he’s as plaintive and weak as a kitten, bewildered by a world, and by people, he no longer recognizes.
The Father Offers an Unsparing Glimpse into the Trials, and the Mysteries, of Old Age|Stephanie Zacharek|March 26, 2021|Time
A purse can impress and intimidate, bewilder, berate, or amuse.
The Language of Margaret Thatcher’s Handbags|Robin Givhan|April 8, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Few things bewilder the uncultured masses more than picking a decent bottle of wine.
An Idiot’s Guide to New Year’s Wine|Winston Ross|December 28, 2012|DAILY BEAST
He manifests himself to mankind only to stupefy their judgment and bewilder the reason he has bestowed on them.
Letters To Eugenia|Paul Henri Thiry Holbach
Och, and the girls whose poor hearts you deracinate, Whirl and bewilder and flutter and fascinate!
The Book of Humorous Verse|Various
Give me one day, and I'll give you a list of subjects that would bewilder you!
My New Curate|P.A. Sheehan
The question of how many cards to leave is one which seems to bewilder most people.
The Complete Bachelor|Walter Germain
Adieu, Wilhelm: I will not further bewilder myself with this subject.
The Sorrows of Young Werther|J.W. von Goethe

British Dictionary definitions for bewilder

bewilder

/ (bɪˈwɪldə) /

verb (tr)

to confuse utterly; puzzle

archaic to cause to become lost

Derived forms of bewilder

bewilderment, noun

Word Origin for bewilder

C17: see be-, wilder

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

bewilder

OTHER WORDS FOR bewilder

Origin of bewilder

Words nearby bewilder

Words related to bewilder

How to use bewilder in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for bewilder

Derived forms of bewilder

Word Origin for bewilder