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
According to Wolf, Purple Rain will adhere closely to the framework of the movie in telling the story of the Kid, the Minneapolis musician bedeviled by an abusive father, a suave but cutthroat rival, intra-band friction, and his own emotional development.
—
David Browne, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2024
Tom Vanden Brook: That's what is bedeviling the military and really society at large as well, because suicide has increased throughout society since the year 2000.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 11 June 2024
The Long Shadow of Xinjiang Beijing has acted with a sense of impunity in Xinjiang, but its abuses there could bedevil foreign relations with the Muslim world.
—Alex Clapp, Foreign Affairs, 10 June 2024
Visits to downtown San Jose have soared over the last year, providing a welcome counterpoint to the forbidding economic trends that bedeviled the Bay Area in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
—George Avalos, The Mercury News, 17 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for bedevil 
David Browne, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2024
Tom Vanden Brook: That's what is bedeviling the military and really society at large as well, because suicide has increased throughout society since the year 2000.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 11 June 2024
The Long Shadow of Xinjiang Beijing has acted with a sense of impunity in Xinjiang, but its abuses there could bedevil foreign relations with the Muslim world.
—Alex Clapp, Foreign Affairs, 10 June 2024
Visits to downtown San Jose have soared over the last year, providing a welcome counterpoint to the forbidding economic trends that bedeviled the Bay Area in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
—George Avalos, The Mercury News, 17 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for bedevil
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bedevil.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near bedevil
Cite this Entry
“Bedevil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bedevil. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bedevil
verb
be·dev·il
bi-ˈdev-əl
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share