bewilderment

noun

be·​wil·​der·​ment bi-ˈwil-dər-mənt How to pronounce bewilderment (audio)
bē-
1
: the quality or state of being lost, perplexed, or confused : the quality or state of being bewildered
She stared at them in bewilderment.
2
: a complicated or confusing state or condition : a bewildering tangle or confusion
a bewilderment of streets

Examples of bewilderment in a Sentence

the slightest change in her daily routine leaves her in complete bewilderment
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Garr's character watches in bewilderment as her husband becomes increasingly fixated on UFOs. Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 29 Oct. 2024 The video captures a few seconds of the cat's bewilderment at being outside, then the owner opens the door, and the tabby runs into the house with an appreciative mewl. Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024 There’s something behind them, though—exhaustion, dread, sheer bewilderment at the choices some of his fellow Americans have made. David Litt, TIME, 31 Oct. 2024 But in the wake of Bezos’s decision not to endorse, many Post staffers have been left with unanswered questions and a sense of bewilderment over the reasoning behind the move. Hadas Gold, CNN, 28 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bewilderment 

Word History

First Known Use

1793, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bewilderment was in 1793

Dictionary Entries Near bewilderment

Cite this Entry

“Bewilderment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bewilderment. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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