English vocabulary · C1
Bewilder
/bɪˈwɪldər/ · v.
To bewilder someone is to make their mind feel lost. They cannot find a clear answer or know what to do next, even with more time.
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Example sentences
- New rules bewildered the class.
- She felt bewildered by ten choices.
Word origin and roots
from English
- be — fully (from English)
- wilder — lost (from English)
Synonyms and nuances
- CONFUSE — make thoughts unclear (Hard To Understand)
- PUZZLE — make someone wonder (Needs An Answer)
- BAFFLE — be too hard to solve (Cannot Explain It)
Similar words
- confuse
- puzzle
- baffle
Lesson notes
To bewilder someone is to make their mind feel lost. They cannot find a clear answer or know what to do next, even with more time.
Related: confuse, puzzle, baffle. Use bewilder when nothing makes sense.
New rules bewildered the class. She felt bewildered by ten choices.
From English. Be- means fully. Wilder means lost. Fully lost: no clear path. That is bewilder.