BEFUDDLING Synonyms: 145 Similar and Opposite Words

befuddling 1 of 2

adjective

as in perplexing

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befuddling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of befuddle

as in baffling

to throw into a state of mental uncertainty most of the applicants were befuddled by the wording of one of the questions on the driving test

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of befuddling

Adjective

This befuddling trend, among others, was discovered through digital hall passes piloted at the school in partnership with Raptor Technologies’ Smart Pass system, a technology that’s grown increasingly popular at area schools, said Carr. — Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026 Among them is Xander Schauffele, who had a befuddling ball-striking day. — Justin Ray, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2026 The befuddling ballroom renovations are one thing, but the recent unrest in Minnesota is something entirely different. — Kyle Denis, Billboard, 29 Jan. 2026 McCarthy had shown flashes of brilliance during the season but his inability to connect with star wide receiver Justin Jefferson had been a befuddling question mark throughout the season. — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 21 Dec. 2025 That's why makes Seattle's decision to part ways with Martinez that much more befuddling. — Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025

Verb

Vincent Carchietta / Imagn Images via Reuters Connect NEW YORK — Tuesday night made the New York Yankees’ decision not to add at least one high-leverage reliever at the trade deadline look questionable at best, and befuddling at worst. — Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 The 1,000-person guest list was impressive, expansive and, occasionally, befuddling. — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 4 July 2026 This description recalls what leadership expert Jason Wild previously told Fortune about how AI tools are probabilistic, befuddling managers everywhere. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2026 Shares are erasing some of those two-day losses on Monday, but our overarching point about the befuddling post-earnings market reaction holds true. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 2 Mar. 2026 The left-hander from California struck out nine Michigan State Spartans in Sunday's 4-0 victory at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, befuddling his overmatched victims with an electric breaking ball. — David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 23 Feb. 2026 Many applicants have received identical messages lately, befuddling students as well as lab heads who may be used to hearing about rejections but not a string of applications simply returned without review. — Jonathan Wosen, STAT, 11 Feb. 2026 He was less intimidated by its befuddling organization and had grown accustomed to the antiquated spellings and the nearly illegible, unpunctuated scribblings of harried seventeenth-century officials. — Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026 Atlanta then declined to pick up Kinley’s option for 2026, which was a bit befuddling at the time. — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 16 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for befuddling

Adjective

Bohm’s Phillies career has been sometimes frustrating, sometimes exciting, sometimes perplexing.

— Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Orbital imagery has shown that unlike its heavily cratered sibling moon, Phobos, which means fear in ancient Greek, Deimos is much smoother — and covered in a perplexing layer of dust and rubble called regolith.

— Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of perplexing

Verb

Despite some protests about a dog contributing to the game, Buddy — clad in a bright blue jersey and two pairs of basketball kicks — scores baffling basket after baffling basket, leaving the other team shocked.

— Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026
While Loathe’s baffling compositional choices may jump out first, the album’s most glaring flaw is its production.

— Patrick Lyons, Pitchfork, 16 July 2026

Definition of baffling

Adjective

Grief is one of the most confounding aspects of the human experience.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
In 2021, one year into D’Amaro’s tenure and following COVID shutdowns, Disney did away with FastPass and introduced a confounding and very costly series of pay-to-skip passes, which require timing advanced booking of limited slots in these formerly free-to-enter shorter lines.

— Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 5 Feb. 2026

Definition of confounding

Verb

Over the course of her prolific career, Zambreno has written 10 books — each as puzzling and surprising as the last.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
The bizarre body plan Before this discovery, there was a puzzling 80-million-year gap in the fossil record.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of puzzling

Adjective

Rich Dad, Poor Dad is a hodgepodge of financial advice and confusing diagrams held together by anecdotes from Kiyosaki’s childhood.

— Christopher Cox, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 2026
Disability rights advocates fear the changes to special education oversight weaken the federal safety net for autistic students and others with disabilities, making these systems more confusing when families need help enforcing students’ rights.

— Claire Sibonney, Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of confusing

Adjective

Most dismaying to me was the group’s seemingly endless tinkering with the menu at Rowdy Rooster, its fast-casual fried-chicken spot, including a downgrade in the chicken’s range of heat.

— Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 19 July 2026
Some recent comments from longtime Voicers have been especially dismaying.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 4 June 2026

Definition of dismaying

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“Befuddling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befuddling. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of befuddling

adjective

verb

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