BEFOG Synonyms: 149 Similar and Opposite Words

befog

verb

bi-ˈfȯg

Definition of befog

as in to confuse

to make (something) unclear to the understanding the professor's convoluted explanation only befogged the textbook's presentation of this scientific principle

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to obscure

to make dark, dim, or indistinct the morning murk befogged our view of the harbor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to bewilder

to throw into a state of mental uncertainty completely befogged by the sudden change of subject

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of befog The detective blames Nichols, the self-aggrandizing adviser who convinced the Cabazons to build a casino, for conjuring the intrigue that continued to befog the case long after his death. — Andrew Rice, WIRED, 4 Feb. 2011

Recent Examples of Synonyms for befog

Verb

This reserve should not be confused with a permanent investment strategy.

— Steve Booren, Denver Post, 16 Aug. 2026
The light entering my eyes would bend at two different angles, confusing my brain and making my vision a little blurry.

— E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of confuse

Verb

In the years since Shakur’s murder, what exactly happened in that hail of bullets -- and who pulled the trigger -- was obscured by a lack of physical evidence, feuding cops and the gangland code of silence.

— Sasha Pezenik, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Once there, Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf watch as the butterfly approaches the outstretched hand of a woman whose face is obscured, before the ominous presence crushes it in her hands.

— Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of obscure

Verb

That’s a common sentiment from a touring superstar, but there’s a sense that Kahan really might be as happily bewildered as the rest of us about how songs this personal and cloudy came to captivate even sunny California.

— Chris Willman, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
The threats are constantly evolving, layering upon themselves with bewildering speed.

— Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of bewilder

Verb

But instead of sounding the alarm, defendants went out of their way to becloud the emerging scientific consensus.

— Edward Fitzpatrick, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Aug. 2019
His flacks and surrogates hand out scraps of information grudgingly, infrequently, and beclouded by fragrant eructations of doublespeak.

— Charles Seife, Slate Magazine, 1 Mar. 2017

Definition of becloud

Verb

In locations where the eclipse will occur around sunset, people may see Perseid meteors during totality, the minutes when the moon fully blocks the sun’s light, leaving a fiery ring and temporarily darkening the skies.

— Denise Chow, NBC news, 11 Aug. 2026
Severe weather cut power Tuesday in the Chicago area and northwestern Indiana as perilous storms pummeled the region, darkening the sky and carrying extreme wind gusts across state lines.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of darken

Verb

Gibson Nash, 21, was charged with first-degree murder after a series of perplexing events eventually led police to his mother’s bloodied body.

— Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
The Brazil midfielder has expressed a desire to join Arsenal, but Newcastle did not want to sell him this summer and have been perplexed by the lack of direct contact from the London club.

— Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of perplex

Verb

The lawsuit expanded on that, accusing the village of obfuscating the nature of the development during the earlier stages of approvals.

— Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
The revelation is the latest example of how engaging the technology — and obfuscating such use — can roil audiences eager to support new films.

— Corbin Bolies, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of obfuscate

Verb

Some diligently blur out the faces of guests who are in the vicinity and captured on camera.

— Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Her new liquid foundation—the brand’s first—utilizes amino acid powders to blur and mattify the appearance of pores sans dryness for a finish that’s natural, skinlike, and exceptionally diffused.

— Kiana Murden, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of blur

Browse Nearby Words

befitting

befog

befogged

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“Befog.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befog. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of befog

verb

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