BEWILDER Synonyms: 75 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'bewilder' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of bewilder are confound , distract , dumbfound , nonplus , perplex , and puzzle . While all these words mean "to baffle and disturb mentally," bewilder stresses a confusion of mind that hampers clear and decisive thinking. // a bewildering number of possibilities

Q: Where would 'confound' be a reasonable alternative to 'bewilder'?

The meanings of confound and bewilder largely overlap; however, confound implies temporary mental paralysis caused by astonishment or profound abasement. // the tragic news confounded us all

Q: When would 'distract' be a good substitute for 'bewilder'?

In some situations, the words distract and bewilder are roughly equivalent. However, distract implies agitation or uncertainty induced by conflicting preoccupations or interests. // distracted by personal problems

Q: When might 'dumbfound' be a better fit than 'bewilder'?

While the synonyms dumbfound and bewilder are close in meaning, dumbfound suggests intense but momentary confounding; often the idea of astonishment is so stressed that it becomes a near synonym of astound . // was at first too dumbfounded to reply

Q: When is it sensible to use 'nonplus' instead of 'bewilder'?

Although the words nonplus and bewilder have much in common, nonplus implies a bafflement that makes orderly planning or deciding impossible. // the remark left us utterly nonplussed

Q: When can 'perplex' be used instead of 'bewilder'?

The synonyms perplex and bewilder are sometimes interchangeable, but perplex adds a suggestion of worry and uncertainty especially about making a necessary decision. // a behavior that perplexed her friends

Q: In what contexts can 'puzzle' take the place of 'bewilder'?

The words puzzle and bewilder can be used in similar contexts, but puzzle implies existence of a problem difficult to solve. // the persistent fever puzzled the doctor

bewilder

verb

bi-ˈwil-dər

Definition of bewilder next

as in to perplex

to throw into a state of mental uncertainty the change in policy seems to have bewildered many of our customers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How does the verb bewilder differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of bewilder are confound, distract, dumbfound, nonplus, perplex, and puzzle. While all these words mean "to baffle and disturb mentally," bewilder stresses a confusion of mind that hampers clear and decisive thinking.

a bewildering number of possibilities

Where would confound be a reasonable alternative to bewilder?

The meanings of confound and bewilder largely overlap; however, confound implies temporary mental paralysis caused by astonishment or profound abasement.

the tragic news confounded us all

When would distract be a good substitute for bewilder?

In some situations, the words distract and bewilder are roughly equivalent. However, distract implies agitation or uncertainty induced by conflicting preoccupations or interests.

distracted by personal problems

When might dumbfound be a better fit than bewilder?

While the synonyms dumbfound and bewilder are close in meaning, dumbfound suggests intense but momentary confounding; often the idea of astonishment is so stressed that it becomes a near synonym of astound.

was at first too dumbfounded to reply

When is it sensible to use nonplus instead of bewilder?

Although the words nonplus and bewilder have much in common, nonplus implies a bafflement that makes orderly planning or deciding impossible.

the remark left us utterly nonplussed

When can perplex be used instead of bewilder?

The synonyms perplex and bewilder are sometimes interchangeable, but perplex adds a suggestion of worry and uncertainty especially about making a necessary decision.

a behavior that perplexed her friends

In what contexts can puzzle take the place of bewilder?

The words puzzle and bewilder can be used in similar contexts, but puzzle implies existence of a problem difficult to solve.

the persistent fever puzzled the doctor

Examples 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 bewilder Leduc portrays him as a sort of French Oscar Wilde, a man both bewildered and fascinated by women, who filled her with terror because of ‘the gentleness in his eyes’. —

Hazlitt, 2 Oct. 2024 That’s the skepticism implied by the exploitation titles Chalice of Blood and Curse of Forgiveness that represent Snyder’s going full bore into adolescent subcultural extremes — ultimately bewildered about the meaning of life. —

Armond White, National Review, 9 Aug. 2024 This editorial is an example of why local newspapers play an important role in our lives of bewildering messages from chaotic media. —

Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2024 But both the music video and her response to it were bewildering. —

Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bewilder

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bewilder

Verb

As a nearly life-long Democrat from a fifth-generation Kansas family farm, a family of Trump supporters, and married to a self-professed, ultra-MAGA Trumper, I’m perplexed.

Ted Trimpa, The Denver Post, 12 Nov. 2024
They were perplexed, but their relationship with their son was already rocky.

Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2024