bewilderment

UK/bɪˈwɪldəmənt/US/bɪˈwɪldəɹmənt/

nounB2+Rare in speech; mostly a word you read · #14,104 of 15,258neutral

Bewilderment is a state of complete confusion. Sheer bewilderment, a look of bewilderment, to my bewilderment.

It is confusion with helplessness in it, since somebody in bewilderment cannot work out what is happening rather than merely not knowing something. The wilder in it is the same word as wild, so bewilderment is being led into the wilds.

Definitions of bewilderment

1nounbewildermentA state of complete confusion.B2+
“She stared at the menu, written entirely in Chinese, in total bewilderment.”

bewilderment is a confusion.

Where it comes from

From bewilder plus -ment, with bewilder meaning to lead into the wilds.

From bewilder + ment.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practise this word

bewilderment in the wild

Rapp, through the observations of the young boy, shows the terror, bewilderment, and behaviour changes that can result from child molestation if adults ignore it.
Little Chicago (novel)
Amoha (Sanskrit, Pali; Tibetan Wylie: gti mug med pa) is a Buddhist term translated as "non-delusion" or "non-bewilderment".
Amoha
Initially, Goldstein's boss believed his bank is the one exception until he finds out it is located in New Zealand, to his bewilderment.
Ira Goldstein
The group enjoys great popularity in Poland, with both singles released so far achieving tremendous success, to the bewilderment of many independent music critics.
Feel (Polish band)
Ei der Daus! (also: Was der Daus!) is an expression, similar, to "What the deuce!" in English, which reflects astonishment, bewilderment or even anger.
Deuce (playing card)

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.

Related words

bewilder

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