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to befuddle

to befuddle

11 7.8
To make someone very confused so they cannot think clearly
  • verb
  • /bɪˈfʌdəl/
translation icon : desconcertar
  • This assignment has got me totally befuddled.

This is the part that I'm befuddled by when you look at the polls, or at least what I've been seeing out there in the social media zeitgeists, is that she is the front runner.

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Examples

  • Nothing, no one ever befuddled Caesar.

  • You're the one befuddled because you've never seen anything like this.

  • "Was it exactly like this at the scene?" The man looked slightly befuddled.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Caught completely off guard by this sudden turn of events, he was befuddled.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • I was left standing, befuddled, in the street before the tavern door.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • "Then where will the place be?" Buster asked, with that serious but befuddled look drunks get sometimes.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Then, as I started putting people in positions, he looked completely befuddled, and I got this sneaking suspicion.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • Harry, weary, hungry, and befuddled by his daddy's beer, said, "The comet?"

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Bandicut watched, befuddled, as the robot's scanning lights glinted and reflected back out of the tunnel.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • If holiday shopping leaves you befuddled, it may be that you had too many decisions to make.

Synonyms

to throw
vsto befuddle
321 7.8

To make someone feel confused or unsure

is stronger, creating a complete inability to think clearly rather than unsettle
to confuse
vsto befuddle
266 1.9

Make someone unable to think clearly or make something hard to understand

is stronger and causes a much greater inability to think clearly
to puzzle
vsto befuddle
73 4.9

To make someone feel confused when something is hard to understand

is the same general mental trouble but in a stronger way
to baffle
vsto befuddle
65 5.3

To make someone very confused and unable to understand

is more about causing a strong inability to think clearly
to stump
vsto befuddle
39 5.3

To make someone unable to answer a question

is broader and denotes strong mental inability beyond just failing to answer
to perplex
vsto befuddle
35 6.3

To make someone confused and unable to understand

is more intense, causing an actual inability to think clearly
to bewilder
vsto befuddle
29 5.3

Make someone very confused and unable to think clearly

is slightly more forceful in causing complete mental muddle
to mystify
vsto befuddle
28 6.5

To make someone confused by making something seem mysterious

is more general, causing strong mental muddle without mystery as cause
to confound
vsto befuddle
22 7.0

Make someone unable to think clearly

is similar but often implies a deeper, more muddling effect
to disorient
vsto befuddle
22 5.2

To make a person feel confused about where they are or what to do

is more general cognitive muddle rather than a loss of direction
to dumbfound
vsto befuddle
17 7.0

To surprise someone so much that they cannot speak or answer

is more about deep mental muddle without the strong surprise element
to bemuse
vsto befuddle
11 7.5

To make someone feel confused or unable to understand

is stronger, meaning a much greater inability to think clearly
to flummox
vsto befuddle
7 8.6

To confuse someone so they do not know what to do or think

is the same core disturbance but stresses total mental confusion
to discombobulate
vsto befuddle
  • Informal
6 9.9

To confuse someone so they cannot think clearly

is used to describe the same complete inability to think clearly
to fluster
vsto befuddle
3 5.5

To make someone nervous so they cannot think clearly

is pure strong mental muddle without the nervous, agitated element
to bedevil
vsto befuddle
2 8.2

Cause ongoing trouble and confusion for people or things

is immediate, creating strong short term inability to think clearly
to fuddle
vsto befuddle
1 9.4

To confuse someone and make them unable to think clearly

is a more forceful, muddling type of mental disturbance
to fox
vsto befuddle
8.9

To confuse someone so they cannot think clearly

is similar but the key implies a deeper, more lasting muddle
to nonplus
vsto befuddle
9.4

Surprise and confuse a person so they do not know what to do

is instead focused on heavy mental muddle rather than surprise

Antonyms

248 3.3

To make something clear so others can understand it

55 4.8

To give someone clear information to help them understand something

How Confused

to flummox
7 8.6
to perplex
35 6.3
to befuddle
11 7.8
to confuse
266 1.9
to puzzle
73 4.9

Surface Forms

befuddle infinitive
befuddled past
befuddled past participle
befuddling present participle
befuddles third person singular

Morphology

befuddle = fuddle (transparent) = be + fuddle

Formed by the causative prefix 'be-' plus the verb 'fuddle', meaning 'to cause to be confused', which is directly derivable.

Etymology

Befuddle is built from be- meaning 'completely' and fuddle, an old word that meant 'to make drunk', so a helpful image is that to befuddle someone is to confuse them so much they feel like they are too drunk to think clearly.