What does bewilder mean?
Word: Bewilder
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Bewilder means to leave someone so lost and puzzled that they do not know what to think or do.
Synonyms: puzzle, baffle, perplex
Antonyms: clarify, explain
How do you spell bewilder?
Syllables: be - wil - der
Tricky part: The middle is wil with one l, and the d must not be dropped.
Watch out for: bewiler, bewillder, bewildre
Memory tip: Picture yourself lost in a wild forest with no path: the word wild sits right in the middle of bewilder.
Bewilder in a sentence
Example 1: Long sums with many brackets bewilder my little brother.
Example 2: The sudden noise seemed to bewilder the birds, and they flew in circles.
Example 3: Do not let a tricky question bewilder you; read it again slowly.
Fun Fact
In the 1600s, to bewilder someone meant to lead them astray into wild, unknown country; the puzzled sense came from that.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word: bewilder
a) annoy
b) frighten
c) amuse
d) confuse
Show answer
d) confuse. To bewilder someone is to leave them unable to make sense of things.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) mystify
b) biwilder
c) baffle
d) astonish
Show answer
b) biwilder. The word opens with be, not bi.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
dweilerb
a) wildebeest
b) bewitched
c) bewilder
d) bewildered
Show answer
c) bewilder. Eight letters with no c, h, s or t: that rules out bewitched and wildebeest, and bewildered is two letters longer.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
A sudden change in the timetable may bewildar new students for a few days.
a) bewildar
b) students
c) sudden
d) timetable
Show answer
a) bewildar. The word ends in er, as wilder does.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The maze of narrow lanes in the old city can bewilder visitors, so they may ____.
a) feel lost and unsure of the way
b) walk faster than they usually do
c) find their hotel straight away
d) enjoy the quiet, empty streets
Show answer
a) feel lost and unsure of the way
2. Which noun comes from bewilder?
a) bewilderment
b) bewilderness
c) bewilderance
d) bewilderity
Show answer
a) bewilderment
