bedevil
verb (used with object)
to torment or harass maliciously or diabolically, as with doubts, distractions, or worries.
had bedeviled
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past perfectof bedevil.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
The researchers realized they might have stumbled across an answer to a mystery that had bedeviled bat biologists for 2 decades—and an explanation for why some families of bats had such a diverse echolocation arsenal.
From Science Magazine ● Jan. 26, 2022
That discovery quickly led to a new approach to the problem that had bedeviled Gervais since adolescence.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 12, 2021
Millions watched a video of the brazen shoplifting in June, which critics said illustrated the epidemic of store thefts that had bedeviled retailers across the city.
From New York Times ● Oct. 13, 2021
He made major strides on an issue had bedeviled Democrats — including the Clintons — for decades.
From Washington Times ● Aug. 18, 2020
A string of especially perplexing breakdowns had bedeviled the lab that year, at a time when Lawrence was struggling to fill a mounting stack of orders for radioisotopes from all over the country.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
