Besotted
adjective /bɪˈsɒtɪd/ — Completely and helplessly in love; infatuated beyond reason.
Definition
So strongly infatuated with someone as to be unable to think clearly about them — in love in a way that has made ordinary critical faculties temporarily unavailable.
Beyond the definition
Besotted is not a compliment or a criticism — it's simply an accurate observation. The besotted person has lost the ability to see their beloved clearly, and for a while this doesn't matter to them at all. It matters to everyone else, who can see quite clearly.
Origin & history
From 'besotten' — past participle of 'besot' (to make stupid or foolish with drink or love), from 'be-' (intensive) + 'sot' (fool). To be besotted is to be made foolish — a verb describing a condition everyone has experienced.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
He was besotted in a way that his friends found both endearing and alarming.
She was besotted for exactly three months — then the clarity returned, gentler than expected.
Besotted is love before it's been acquainted with the ordinary.
How to use it
This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.
Choose “Besotted” when the meaning fits your context: So strongly infatuated with someone as to be unable to think clearly about them — in love in a way that has made ordinary critical faculties temporarily unavailable.
Synonyms
infatuated, smitten, enamoured, lovestruck
Antonyms
indifferent, clear-eyed, rational
Related words
Questions about this word
What does "Besotted" mean?
Besotted is adjective meaning: Completely and helplessly in love; infatuated beyond reason.. So strongly infatuated with someone as to be unable to think clearly about them — in love in a way that has made ordinary critical faculties temporarily unavailable.
Where does the word "Besotted" come from?
From 'besotten' — past participle of 'besot' (to make stupid or foolish with drink or love), from 'be-' (intensive) + 'sot' (fool). To be besotted is to be made foolish — a verb describing a condition everyone has experienced.