bedevil
verb (used with object)
to torment or harass maliciously or diabolically, as with doubts, distractions, or worries.
has bedevilled
-
present perfectof bedevil (3rd person singular).present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
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.
Radio interference has bedevilled other astronomical searches before, such as when flickering signals picked up at Parkes turned out to be the result of people microwaving their lunches.
From Scientific American ● Oct. 26, 2021
The administration of President Joe Biden says its review of North Korea policy will be finished in coming months, before announcing its plans for handling a rolling crisis that has bedevilled generations of U.S. presidents.
From Reuters ● Mar. 4, 2021
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised to solve the crisis in social care, which has bedevilled previous Tory and Labour governments due to its cost and complexity.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2019
The discrepancy has bedevilled researchers for nearly 15 years.
From Nature ● Apr. 14, 2019
Ellis said, after a silence: "That gambling outfit from the West has bedevilled one or two good citizens in Gotham town."
From The Danger Mark by A. B. Wenzell
