Bewildered
completely puzzled or confused; perplexed.
to confuse or puzzle completely; perplex:
These shifting attitudes bewilder me.
Contemporary Examples
Instead of penalizing Haller he let the goal stand, to the bewildered fury of all England.
England’s Misery Harold Evans June 26, 2010
He tells the bewildered Narnians: ‘I’m so very old: hundreds and hundreds of years old.
Three Great Men Died That Day: JFK, C.S. Lewis, and Aldous Huxley John Garth November 2, 2013
The experience left Shultz bewildered: “Maybe we are crazy?”
How the Reagan White House Bungled Its Response to Iran-Contra Revelations Malcolm Byrne November 2, 2014
bewildered adolescents, many of them accompanied by equally confused guardians, spill out into the hallway.
The Border Kid Crisis Hits the Courts Caitlin Dickson September 18, 2014
While he is enjoying his life as an actor, Sturgess is bewildered by the state of the film industry.
Hollywood’s Reluctant Leading Man Lorenza Muñoz August 17, 2011
Historical Examples
She raised her head slowly as if she were dizzy and bewildered.
That Lass O’ Lowrie’s Frances Hodgson Burnett
I knew that it was I myself, and not my mode of life, that bewildered her.
The Bacillus of Beauty Harriet Stark
I am so confused and bewildered by the rush of the great city.
After Prison – What? Maud Ballington Booth
A creature of hope and joy, the first draught of sorrow had bewildered her.
The White Old Maid (From “Twice Told Tales”) Nathaniel Hawthorne
He found them, as a rule, bewildered, depressed and unresponsive.
The Marne Edith Wharton
verb (transitive)
to confuse utterly; puzzle
(archaic) to cause to become lost
adj.
1680s, past participle adjective from bewilder (q.v.).
v.
1680s, from be- “thoroughly” + archaic wilder “lead astray, lure into the wilds,” probably a back-formation of wilderness. An earlier word with the same sense was bewhape (early 14c.). Related: Bewildered; bewildering; bewilderingly.
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- Bewilderment
bewildered state. a confusing maze or tangle, as of objects or conditions: a bewilderment of smoke, noise, and pushing people. Contemporary Examples By 1996, Haitians were scratching their heads in bewilderment, asking themselves Why has America come to save us? Bill Clinton’s Shameful Haiti Legacy Bob Shacochis January 18, 2010 There were two modes of […]
- Bewildering
extremely confusing: a bewildering schedule of events. to confuse or puzzle completely; perplex: These shifting attitudes bewilder me. Contemporary Examples They have to contend with a bewildering Washington bureaucracy. Patients, Not Government, Can Fix Health Care John Barrasso November 20, 2009 Yet, it is still routine to see a bewildering insistence on defeat. Defeating the […]
- Bewitch
to affect by witchcraft or magic; cast a spell over. to enchant; charm; fascinate: The painter bewitched the crowd with his latest work. to cause someone to be enchanted; cast a spell over someone: She lost her power to bewitch. Historical Examples An’ all the time, whatever she’s doin’, she’d bewitch you with her smile […]
- Beyond
on, at, or to the farther side of: Beyond those trees you’ll find his house. farther on than; more distant than: beyond the horizon; beyond the sea. outside the understanding, limits, or reach of; past: beyond comprehension; beyond endurance; beyond help. superior to; surpassing; above: wise beyond all others. more than; in excess of; over […]
- Doubt
to be uncertain about; consider questionable or unlikely; hesitate to believe. to distrust. Archaic. to fear; be apprehensive about. to be uncertain about something; be undecided in opinion or belief. a feeling of uncertainty about the truth, reality, or nature of something. distrust. a state of affairs such as to occasion uncertainty. Obsolete. fear; dread. […]