Wildering

Part of speech: verb, adjective

Definitions

1. Causing someone to feel confused, lost, or unable to think clearly about what is happening
2. Leaving a person puzzled and disoriented, unsure of where they stand or what to do next
3. Describing something so confusing or disorienting that it leaves the mind bewildered and uncertain

Etymology: The surprising link here runs through the word's root: a wilderness was once a place of wild beasts. "Wilderness" comes from an Old English compound built on "wild deor," literally "wild animal," and the suffix "-ness" turned that into a name for the untamed place where such creatures lived. The sense of a lost, confusing place then gave rise to "bewilder," first recorded in the 1620s with the meaning "to lead astray in a wilderness." "Wildering" is the present participle and adjective of "wilder," a verb meaning to confuse or lead someone off course. It is a rare form, and "wilder" is most likely a shortening of "bewilder" rather than a separate word. So a wildering experience is one that leaves you as lost as a traveler in an unmarked wood.

Synonyms: bewildering, perplexing, confusing

Antonyms: clarifying, enlightening