befuddle

The absurdist’s power rests in their ability to befuddle and bewilder, trusting the joke will land with the right folks and insult their target’s intelligence.

From Salon ● May 21, 2026

Today’s pitchers befuddle hitters with velocity and spin rate while exiting before 100 pitches.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026

He says he has drawn on classic police interrogation techniques to befuddle chatbots and get them to "crack".

From BBC ● Apr. 28, 2025

Even in the sunlight, the shadows and glare can befuddle landing cameras and sensors.

From National Geographic ● Jan. 8, 2024

Jason wondered if Piper was working some sort of Aphrodite magic on him—like maybe every time he mentioned Reyna’s name, she would befuddle him so much he couldn’t think about anything but Piper.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

They are part of a male scout team that routinely befuddles the Bruins women’s basketball players in practices and scrimmages, beating them with stronger bodies, faster moves, higher hops.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 28, 2024

Here’s what befuddles him right now: There isn’t much to fix regarding the way the Hurricanes are playing against the Florida Panthers.

From Washington Times ● May 23, 2023

He has constructed a glossy fever dream that bewitches as much as it befuddles.

From Salon ● May 20, 2022

The chief concern is whether hostile countries are fielding aerial technology so advanced and weird that it befuddles and threatens the world’s largest military power.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 4, 2021

Grape-growers are not in the fog that befuddles growers of tree-fruits in regard to tillage.

From Manual of American Grape-Growing by U. P. Hedrick

“There’s a beetle that emerges on the cusp of summer. It has lots of colors. Blue, gold, purple. It looks like a turtle,” she tells a befuddled Rhaenyra.

From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026

But the day before contracts were exchanged Sarah received a phone call from her "befuddled" estate agent saying he had some bad news.

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

Bryan Cranston transitioned from befuddled dad Hal to lethal drug lord Walter White in “Breaking Bad.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 10, 2026

When Jay goes on to paraphrase “Baldwin” on the subject of white racism, Leigh is befuddled: “Alec Baldwin’s black?” he sputters.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026

Laurie opened her eyes, lifted her head and showed two teeth in a befuddled smile.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith

The film — where Jessie Buckley plays three characters, each with their own frenzied personality — may be tonally imbalanced and, at times, utterly befuddling.

From Salon ● Jun. 10, 2026

Many of the most befuddling stocks reviewed by Barron’s are holding companies incorporated in the Cayman Islands or the British Virgin Islands with investors or subsidiaries that are also Caribbean holding companies.

From Barron's ● Nov. 18, 2025

What’s a bit befuddling is how “All Her Fault” introduces major elements of its characters’ backstories far later than seems fair on the part of the storytellers, or judicious on the part of the parents.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2025

That anyone remembers he played at all is both flattering and befuddling for Ardell, who receives about a dozen autograph requests in the mail each year.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2025

He cocked his head, tapping his lower lip as though he found the concept absolutely befuddling.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros