ENGLISH
REFERENCE

wilder

v.
C2 Proficiency US //ˈwaɪɫdɝ// UK //wˈaɪldɐ// wilder

v. to become lost or confused, or to cause someone else to lose their way. It is an old-fashioned word that describes a feeling of being puzzled or wandering without a path.

v. to cause to lose one's way or to become bewildered. Primarily used in literary or archaic contexts; functions as the root for the more common 'bewilder'.


SIMPLE

The thick fog began to wilder the hikers.

CONTEXTUAL

Without a compass, the dense and shifting sands of the desert can easily wilder even the most experienced travelers.

COMPLEX

The poet describes how the complexities of modern life can wilder the soul, leaving one searching for a simpler, more grounded existence amidst the chaos.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

Transitive when meaning to lead astray; intransitive when meaning to wander or become lost.

Pitfall

He was wilder by the news.He was bewildered by the news.While 'wilder' is a valid root, modern English almost exclusively uses 'bewilder' to describe the state of being confused.

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