in a fog

Idioms  

1. Also, in a haze. Preoccupied, not paying attention; also, at a loss, confused. For example, After the accident he went about in a fog, even though he had not been injured, or Millie always seems to be in a haze; she never knows what's going on. These expressions allude to fog or haze obscuring one's view; the fog usage dates from about 1600, haze from about 1800.

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Example Sentences

In a fog, standing still can feel like the safest move.

From Barron's • Nov. 14, 2025

In a fog of worry and confusion, as he watched his father’s diminished silhouette disappear through the door, Mr. Dario forgot to say goodbye.

From New York Times • Mar. 29, 2020

In a fog which last week shrouded the Atlantic seaboard, the 5,600-ton packet Fairfax of Merchants & Miners Transportation Co. groped out of Boston Harbor, Baltimore-bound.

From Time Magazine Archive

In a fog, I moved through the doorway.

From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson

In a fog, the scene is exciting beyond description. 

From Lights and Shadows of New York Life or, the Sights and Sensations of the Great City by McCabe, James Dabney

Related Words

• baffled
• bewildered
• clueless
• doubtful
• mystified
• perplexed
• rattled