Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The condition of being confused or disoriented.
  • noun A situation of perplexity or confusion; a tangle.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The state of being bewildered.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The state of being bewildered.
  • noun A bewildering tangle or confusion.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The state of being bewildered.
  • noun A confusing or perplexing situation.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun confusion resulting from failure to understand

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From bewilder +‎ -ment.

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Examples

  • In response to what he called the "bewilderment" of people watching the child sexual abuse scandal unfold at Penn State, Rep. Kerry Benninghoff said he plans to introduce legislation to make more information about state-related universities available to the public.

    KansasCity.com: Front Page 2011

  • And how awful that poor Mary dies as she lived — stupidly, clumsily, in "bewilderment," running foolishly back and forth.

    The Prime of Ms. Muriel Spark 2004

  • And how awful that poor Mary dies as she lived — stupidly, clumsily, in "bewilderment," running foolishly back and forth.

    The Prime of Ms. Muriel Spark 2004

  • Mark stares in bewilderment, wondering how this person was ever just “Jenny from the Block.”

    Beat 360° – 9/17/2009 2009

  • The presence we make known: As our group of robed, stoled and collaredmarchersweavedthroughthe financialdistrict, on more than one occasion I saw an expression of bewilderment in the eyes of observers.

    Bruce Reyes-Chow: Faith Leaders March And Pray For Occupy San Francisco Bruce Reyes-Chow 2011

  • My guess is the rednecks are scratching their heads in bewilderment right now?

    Romney wins presidential straw poll by a single vote 2010

  • I wish I could come away with a reaction other than scratching my head in bewilderment, thinking Oh, that seems like a promising set-up .... oh.

    Cast Returns for The Hangover Sequel | /Film 2010

  • The people of SC must be just shaking their heads in bewilderment at each crazy turn of events.

    SLED finds no 'misuse' from Sanford 2009

  • The man shook his head in bewilderment and said he couldn't understand why girls would fantasize about a deformed psychopath, and I said, Don't you get it?

    March Christian Science Fiction & Fantasy Blog Tour 2010

  • The man shook his head in bewilderment and said he couldn't understand why girls would fantasize about a deformed psychopath, and I said, Don't you get it?

    Archive 2010-03-01 2010

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