befuddle

IPA/bɪˈfʌd.əl/
KK[bɪfˈʌdəl]IPA/bɪˈfʌd.əl/

befuddle — verb

  • befuddlepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • befuddles3rd person singular
  • befuddling-ing form
  • befuddledpast simple

1. to make someone feel confused or mentally foggy, especially when they are faced

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to make someone feel confused or mentally foggy, especially when they are faced with something complicated, unfamiliar, or unexpected that their mind cannot easily process.

例句

The complicated tax form completely befuddled Zuri, so she asked an accountant for help.

collocation: completely befuddled

Bao stared at the map with a befuddled expression, unable to find the right street.

同義詞
  • confuse

    the most common and general term, suitable in any register

  • perplex

    slightly more formal than confuse, and often implies puzzlement about something contradictory

  • baffle

    stronger than confuse; suggests complete inability to understand or explain

  • bewilder

    suggests feeling lost or disoriented, not just confused

反義詞
  • enlighten

    to give someone understanding or clarity

  • clarify

    to make something clear and easy to understand

文法句型

befuddle + noun phrase (person/mind)

be/become/get befuddled by/with + noun phrase

用法筆記

Frequently used in the passive voice (be befuddled by / become befuddled with). The subject is usually a person or their mind; the cause is typically complex information, contradictory instructions, or an unexpected event.

常見錯誤

❌The instructions were very befuddling me
✅The instructions were very confusing to me.
💡'Befuddling' as an active adjective is rare; use 'confusing' for natural everyday English.
❌I was befuddled to hear the news
✅I was confused and surprised to hear the news.
💡'Befuddled' is not typically used with the 'to hear / to see / to learn' pattern; use 'confused' or 'perplexed' instead.

2. to make someone's mind slow, dull, or unsteady because of alcohol, or because of

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to make someone's mind slow, dull, or unsteady because of alcohol, or because of something that has an effect similar to alcohol, such as extreme heat or strong medicine.

例句

After three glasses of wine at dinner, Hugo was too befuddled to drive home safely.

pattern: too befuddled to + infinitive

The heat and thirst befuddled the hikers, so they sat in the shade to rest.

同義詞
  • intoxicate

    more formal and clinical, describes the effect of alcohol on the body

  • stupefy

    stronger and more dramatic; can mean to stun or render senseless

  • muddle

    implies a state of confused, aimless thinking, often from drink

反義詞
  • sober

    to become clear-minded again after drinking

文法句型

befuddle + noun phrase (person/mind)

be/get befuddled with/by + noun phrase (alcohol/heat/medicine)

用法筆記

The object is almost always a person or their mind/senses. When the cause is alcohol, the tone is often humorous or understated rather than clinical. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 2 specifically involves a stupefying agent (drink, heat, drugs), while sense 1 describes general mental confusion from any cause.

常見錯誤

❌The noise befuddled the workers' (intended: alcohol-related)
✅The noise distracted and confused the workers.
💡Sense 2 specifically involves a drink-like stupefaction; use sense 1 or a more fitting word for general confusion.
❌He was too befuddled by the problem to solve it' (when meaning general confusion)
✅He was too confused by the problem to solve it.
💡For a purely mental challenge, sense 1 applies; 'befuddled' in sense 1 is adequate but 'confused' is more natural in modern speech.