MEANING
To trouble or annoy repeatedly, or to torment someone with persistent difficulty.
Use it for
Use for persistent trouble, confusion, or irritation.Show a recurring problem that keeps obstructing a person or plan.
Words that belong together
- bedevil someone with questions
- problems bedevil a plan
- bedeviled by doubt
On the page
Small errors bedeviled the survey team until they checked every map twice.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Word forms
- Base
- bedevil
- Past tense
- bedeviled
- Past participle
- bedeviled
- Present participle
- bedeviling
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- bedevil
- Present continuous
- am/is/are bedeviling
- Present perfect
- have/has bedeviled
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been bedeviling
- Past
- bedeviled
- Past continuous
- was/were bedeviling
- Past perfect
- had bedeviled
- Past perfect continuous
- had been bedeviling
- Future
- will bedevil
- Future continuous
- will be bedeviling
- Future perfect
- will have bedeviled
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been bedeviling
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
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Usage notes
Often suggests recurring trouble, confusion, or annoyance; the word does not necessarily imply anything supernatural.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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