English Reference

Word

bewildered

Phoneticsbe·wil·dered

US/bɪˈwɪɫdɝd/

UK/bɪwˈɪldəd/

Definition

adj. feeling very confused and not sure what is happening. You feel this way when something is too complicated or strange to understand.

adj. feeling extreme confusion or disorientation. Often used predicatively after linking verbs such as 'look', 'feel', or 'seem'.

Examples

“He had a bewildered look on his face.”

“The tourists stood in the middle of the busy station, looking bewildered by the complex train schedule.”

“Even the most experienced scientists were left bewildered by the test results, which appeared to contradict every established law of physics they had previously relied upon.”

Examples

simple

“He had a bewildered look on his face.”

contextual

“The tourists stood in the middle of the busy station, looking bewildered by the complex train schedule.”

complex

“Even the most experienced scientists were left bewildered by the test results, which appeared to contradict every established law of physics they had previously relied upon.”

Usage

Commonly follows linking verbs; often paired with the preposition 'by'.

Real-World Examples

“Show Wouter Vrancken was left bewildered by the “strange” video assistant referee decision to rule out an early Hearts goal in their 1-1 draw at bottom-placed Kilmarnock .”
The Guardian · 20 Sept 2026
“This finding bewildered the researchers because PFAS are entirely human-made chemicals.”
Phys.org · 17 Aug 2026

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

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English Reference