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
The chargers themselves have also been bedeviled by frequent outages, often associated with basic software or connectivity glitches.
—
Alan Neuhauser, Axios, 6 Aug. 2024
Though itch has bedeviled our species (not to mention many other animals) for thousands of years, scientists have just begun to comprehend the physiological mechanisms behind it.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 19 July 2024
At home, however, Netanyahu faces a problem that has bedeviled Biden in recent weeks — the maneuvering of (former) allies who leak their effort to press him to change course.
—Joel Gehrke, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 23 July 2024
Visits to downtown San Jose have soared over the last year, providing a welcome counterpart to the forbidding economic trends that bedeviled the Bay Area in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
—George Avalos, The Mercury News, 27 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for bedevil 
Alan Neuhauser, Axios, 6 Aug. 2024
Though itch has bedeviled our species (not to mention many other animals) for thousands of years, scientists have just begun to comprehend the physiological mechanisms behind it.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 19 July 2024
At home, however, Netanyahu faces a problem that has bedeviled Biden in recent weeks — the maneuvering of (former) allies who leak their effort to press him to change course.
—Joel Gehrke, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 23 July 2024
Visits to downtown San Jose have soared over the last year, providing a welcome counterpart to the forbidding economic trends that bedeviled the Bay Area in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
—George Avalos, The Mercury News, 27 June 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.
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Cite this Entry
“Bedevil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bedevil. Accessed 18 Aug. 2024.
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bedevil
verb
be·dev·il
bi-ˈdev-əl
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