bewildered

[ bih-wil-derd ]

/ bɪˈwɪl dərd /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR bewildered ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

completely puzzled or confused; perplexed.

Nearby words

Origin of bewildered

First recorded in 1675–85; bewilder + -ed²

Related formsbe·wil·dered·ly, adverbbe·wil·dered·ness, nounun·be·wil·dered, adjectiveun·be·wil·dered·ly, adverb

Definition for bewildered (2 of 2)

bewilder

[ bih-wil-der ]

/ bɪˈwɪl dər /

verb (used with object)

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

Origin of bewilder

First recorded in 1675–85; be- + wilder¹

SYNONYMS FOR bewilder

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

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR bewilder ON THESAURUS.COM

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for bewildered

The experience left Shultz bewildered: “Maybe we are crazy?”
How the Reagan White House Bungled Its Response to Iran-Contra Revelations|Malcolm Byrne|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Bewildered adolescents, many of them accompanied by equally confused guardians, spill out into the hallway.
The Border Kid Crisis Hits the Courts|Caitlin Dickson|September 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Five hours and loads of frustration later, the bewildered psychologist gave up.
Teaching a Lesson to Bullies and Educators Alike|Moral Courage|February 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He tells the bewildered Narnians: ‘I’m so very old: hundreds and hundreds of years old.
Three Great Men Died That Day: JFK, C.S. Lewis, and Aldous Huxley|John Garth|November 3, 2013|DAILY BEAST

A puzzled cantor lifted his head up and a bewildered congregation turned their eyes to their leader.
How Rabbi David Hartman Lives On|Eliyahu Stern|February 11, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The crowds, coming from every direction at once, were soon a confused, bewildered mass of elbowing humanity.
The Easiest Way|Eugene Walter and Arthur Hornblow
I stood looking at them, bewildered and astonished by Mademoiselle's loyalty.
The Crossing|Winston Churchill
The young man stood still where he was, bewildered by this prodigy of paternal love.
The Brotherhood of Consolation|Honore de Balzac
Her eyes had the bewildered look of one who has been suddenly awakened from a sleep gilded with a delightful dream.
Mistress Nell|George C. Hazelton, Jr.
The officer turned and began violently to abuse the bewildered Lascars.
Parrot & Co.|Harold MacGrath

British Dictionary definitions for bewildered

bewilder

/ (bɪˈwɪldə) /

verb (tr)

to confuse utterly; puzzle

archaic to cause to become lost

Derived Formsbewilderment, 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

Word Origin and History for bewildered (1 of 2)

bewildered

adj.

1680s, past participle adjective from bewilder (q.v.).

Word Origin and History for bewildered (1 of 2)

bewilder

1680s, from be- "thoroughly" + archaic wilder "lead astray, lure into the wilds," probably a back-formation of wilderness. An earlier word with the same sense was bewhape (early 14c.). Related: Bewildered; bewildering; bewilderingly.

bewildered

adjective

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RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of bewildered

Definition for bewildered (2 of 2)

bewilder

verb (used with object)

Origin of bewilder

Examples from the Web for bewildered

British Dictionary definitions for bewildered

bewilder

verb (tr)

Word Origin for bewilder

Word Origin and History for bewildered (1 of 2)

bewildered

Word Origin and History for bewildered (1 of 2)

bewilder