Bedevil

Pronunciation: /bɪˈdɛvəl/

Definitions of bedevil

verb to cause great trouble or distress to

Example Sentences

A1 The difficult math problem bedeviled the students.

A2 The ghost stories bedeviled the young children's dreams.

B1 The constant noise from the construction site bedeviled the residents.

B2 The ongoing legal issues have bedeviled the company for years.

C1 The lack of clear communication has bedeviled the project team.

C2 The political scandal continues to bedevil the country's leadership.

Examples of bedevil in a Sentence

formal The complex issue continues to bedevil researchers in the field.

informal I can't believe how much this problem continues to bedevil us.

slang This glitch is really starting to bedevil me.

figurative The ghosts of the past continue to bedevil her thoughts.

Grammatical Forms of bedevil

• past tense: bedeviled
• plural: bedevils
• comparative: more bedeviling
• superlative: most bedeviling
• present tense: bedevils
• future tense: will bedevil
• perfect tense: have bedeviled
• continuous tense: is bedeviling
• singular: bedevil
• positive degree: bedevil
• infinitive: to bedevil
• gerund: bedeviling
• participle: bedeviled

Origin and Evolution of bedevil

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The word 'bedevil' originated from the combination of 'be-' meaning to cause to be or become and 'devil' meaning to torment or harass.

Evolution of the word: Initially used in the sense of tormenting or harassing someone, the word 'bedevil' has evolved to also mean to confuse or complicate a situation.