bedevil

/bi'devl/

Thân thiện

The complex problem continued to bedevil the team of engineers.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To cause persistent trouble, distress, or confusion: To torment, harass, or plague someone or something, often in a way that causes great difficulty or confusion.
   • To possess as if by a demon; to bewilder or confuse thoroughly: To affect something as if with evil spirits, leading to a state of chaos or mental perplexity.

Usage

• The verb "bedevil" is transitive and requires a direct object (e.g., bedevil someone or something).
• It is often used in formal or literary contexts to describe ongoing, serious problems or deep confusion.
• It can describe both tangible problems (e.g., technical issues) and intangible states (e.g., mental confusion).

Examples

• Verb:
  • Technical glitches continued to bedevil the new software's launch.
  • The team was bedeviled by injuries throughout the season.
  • A sense of doubt bedeviled her as she tried to make the difficult decision.

Advanced Usage

• "to be bedeviled by": This common passive construction emphasizes the state of being persistently troubled or confused by something.
  • The project was bedeviled by budget cuts and delays.
• "bedeviling" (present participle/adjective): Used to describe something that is causing persistent trouble.
  • They faced a bedeviling array of complex regulations.

Variants and Related Words

• Bedevilment (n): The state of being bedeviled; torment or harassment.
  • The constant bedevilment by creditors forced the company to close.
• Devil (n/v): As a root word, "devil" relates to the concept of a tormenting evil spirit. The verb "devil" can mean to harass or annoy, though it is less common than "bedevil."

Synonyms

• Plague: To cause continual trouble or distress.
• Torment: To cause severe suffering or distress.
• Baffle: To confuse or perplex completely.
• Bewilder: To cause someone to become perplexed and confused.
• Harass: To torment by constant attack or trouble.

Antonyms

• Aid: To help or support.
• Clarify: To make clear or understandable.
• Comfort: To ease the grief or trouble of.
• Soothe: To gently calm or relieve.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• "Bedeviled by doubt": A phrase describing a state of being deeply and persistently uncertain.
  • The scientist was bedeviled by doubt about her initial hypothesis.
• "A bedeviling problem": A phrase describing an issue that is extremely troublesome and difficult to solve.
  • Corruption remains a bedeviling problem for the administration.

Học thuật

Verb

1. be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly
   • These questions confuse even the experts
   • This question completely threw me
   • This question befuddled even the teacher
2. treat cruelly
   • The children tormented the stuttering teacher

Từ đồng nghĩa

• confuse
• throw
• fox
• befuddle
• fuddle
• confound
• discombobulate
• torment
• rag
• crucify
• dun
• frustrate