bedevil
verb
be·dev·il
bi-ˈde-vəl 
bē-
bedeviled; bedeviling; bedevils
1
: to possess with or as if with a devil
2
: to cause distress : trouble
3
: to change for the worse : spoil
4
: to confuse utterly
Synonyms
Examples of bedevil in a Sentence
The theory bedevils scientists, none of whom have been able to prove it true or false.
The project has been bedeviled by problems since its inception.
Recent Examples on the Web
Stock market surges on Election Day Prices Inflation has bedeviled the U.S. for the past several years -- but in recent months price increases have slowed back down to a normal pace.
—
Max Zahn, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024
Fraser was bedeviled by Elizabeth Hurley’s Beelzebub in Bedazzled (2000), earned career-best reviews for the Vietnam drama The Quiet American (2002), and landed a role in the Best Picture-winning Crash (2004).
—Andrew Walsh, EW.com, 26 Oct. 2024
Malone, in his interview with Moffett, noted that Europe’s largest TV players have held up against the same trends that are bedeviling the U.S. majors.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 18 Oct. 2024
Wallace points out that many Satoshi investigators have been bedevilled by faulty pattern-matching, a particular vulnerability for those who have seized upon superficial stylistic similarities with unwarranted glee.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bedevil 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Max Zahn, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024
Fraser was bedeviled by Elizabeth Hurley’s Beelzebub in Bedazzled (2000), earned career-best reviews for the Vietnam drama The Quiet American (2002), and landed a role in the Best Picture-winning Crash (2004).
—Andrew Walsh, EW.com, 26 Oct. 2024
Malone, in his interview with Moffett, noted that Europe’s largest TV players have held up against the same trends that are bedeviling the U.S. majors.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 18 Oct. 2024
Wallace points out that many Satoshi investigators have been bedevilled by faulty pattern-matching, a particular vulnerability for those who have seized upon superficial stylistic similarities with unwarranted glee.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bedevil
Dictionary Entries Near bedevil
Cite this Entry
“Bedevil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bedevil. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bedevil
verb
be·dev·il
bi-ˈdev-əl
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share