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Preposition after adjective

Bewildered by, at, as, with or in?

Bewildered is most commonly followed by by to show the cause of confusion. Bewildered at is also used, especially for reactions to surprising situations.

Quick answer

Which prepositions work with bewildered?

Use bewildered by for the thing causing confusion. Bewildered at is possible for reactions to events or behaviour. Bewildered as, bewildered with, and bewildered in are generally not standard complements after bewildered.

I was bewildered by the instructions.
She looked bewildered at his sudden decision.
The tourists were bewildered by the complex map.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
bewildered by + cause

Showing what causes confusion

By introduces the thing, situation, or behaviour causing bewilderment.

They were bewildered by the technical terms.
He seemed bewildered by her reaction.
2
bewildered at + event

Reacting to something surprising

At is sometimes used for emotional reaction to an event or action.

We were bewildered at the sudden change.
3
bewildered by + question/statement

Responding to confusing language

Bewildered by is common with questions, comments, and explanations.

She was bewildered by the manager's explanation.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
bewildered by
The students were bewildered by the new rules.
Standard choice for the cause of confusion.
bewildered at
He was bewildered at their behaviour.
Used for reaction to something surprising or hard to understand.
bewildered as
She worked as a guide.
As is not a standard complement after bewildered.
bewildered with
They were filled with excitement.
With is not normally used after bewildered in this sense.
bewildered in
He got lost in the city.
In may introduce place or context, but not a standard complement after bewildered.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using bewildered with

Bewildered is usually followed by by, not with.

✕ I was bewildered with the instructions. ✓ I was bewildered by the instructions.

Using as after bewildered

As does not normally follow bewildered directly.

✕ She felt bewildered as the situation. ✓ She felt bewildered by the situation.

Confusing bewildered and amazed

Bewildered suggests confusion, not admiration.

✕ We were bewildered by the beautiful view. ✓ We were amazed by the beautiful view.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The audience was bewildered ___ the ending of the film.
2. She seemed bewildered ___ his rude response.
3. Which sentence is most natural?

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Frequently asked questions

Is bewildered by the most common pattern?

Yes. It is the standard way to name the cause of confusion.

Can I use bewildered at?

Yes. Bewildered at is used for reactions to events or behaviour.

Is bewildered with correct?

It is generally not the standard choice in modern English. Use bewildered by instead.

bad, for, bad, of baffling to, for, in, as or of? bankrupt in, by, for, as or with? "barefoot in" or "barefoot on"? "bare of", "bare with" or "bare in"? "basic of" or "basic to"? beautiful in, with, on, for or to? beholden to, for or on? "beloved by", "beloved to" or "beloved of"? "bemused by" or "bemused at"? "beneficial to" or "beneficial for"? bereft of, at, by, in or without?

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