bedevil

UK: /bɪˈdɛv^əl/ US: /bɪˈdɛvəl/ ,(bi dev′əl)

Inflections of 'bedevil' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

When both "l" and "ll" forms exist, spellings with a double "l" are correct, but rare, in US English, while those with a single "l" are not correct in UK English.

bedevils

v 3rd person singular

bedevilling

v pres p (Mainly UK)

bedeviling

v pres p (US)

bedevilled

v past (Mainly UK)

bedeviled

v past (US)

bedevilled

v past p (Mainly UK)

bedeviled

v past p (US)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

be•dev•il /bɪˈdɛvəl/   v. [~ + object] , -iled, -il•ing or (esp. Brit.) -illed, -il•ling. 

1. to trouble in a mean way.
2. to cause confusion;
   complicate.

be•dev•il•ment, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

be•dev•il  (bi dev′əl), v.t., -iled, -il•ing or (esp. Brit.) -illed, -il•ling. 

1. to torment or harass maliciously or diabolically, as with doubts, distractions, or worries.
2. to possess, as with a devil;
   bewitch.
3. to cause confusion or doubt in;
   muddle;
   confound:
   an issue bedeviled by prejudices.
4. to beset or hamper continuously:
   a new building bedeviled by elevator failures.

• be- + devil 1760–70

be•dev′il•ment, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

bedevil / bɪˈdɛv^əl/ verb ( -ils, -illing, -illed) ( -ils, -iling, -iled)(transitive)

1. to harass or torment
2. to throw into confusion
3. to possess, as with a devil

beˈdevilment noun