bamboozle
verb
Did you know?
In 1710, Irish author Jonathan Swift wrote an article on "the continual Corruption of our English Tongue" in which he complained of "the Choice of certain Words invented by some pretty Fellows." (Note that pretty originally meant "artful, clever.") Among the inventions Swift disliked was bamboozle, which was used by contemporary criminals. Beyond those who favored the word, little is known of its early days, but the word has clearly defied Swift's assertion that "All new affected Modes of Speech ... are the first perishing Parts in any Language." With its first syllable like a sound effect, bamboozle hints at mystification or magic when it is used to mean "to confuse, frustrate, or perplex," as in "The batters were bamboozled by the pitcher's dazzling curveball."
Examples of bamboozle in a Sentence
Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
The problem is that those who are versed in using AI and are up-to-speed on prompting are being bamboozled by this hidden and secreted behavior.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
Someone might use their power to bamboozle you.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 5 Aug. 2025
Mark Lippman, Boca Raton A message to young Democrats: You’ve been misled and bamboozled long enough.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bamboozle
Cite this Entry
“Bamboozle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bamboozle. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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