beguile

verb

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be·guile | \ bi-ˈgī(-ə)l

, bē- \

beguiled; beguiling

Definition of beguile

transitive verb

1 : hoodwink beguiled her classmates into doing the work for her

2 : to engage the interest of by or as if by guile His seductive voice beguiled the audience.

3 : to lead by deception beguiled into ambush

4 : to while away especially by some agreeable occupation also : divert sense 2 The seven poems were written to beguile the tedium of a sea voyage. — Vernon Louis Parrington

intransitive verb

: to deceive by wiles had intended to beguile

Other Words from beguile Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did you know? The Beguiling History of Beguile More Example Sentences Learn More About beguile

Other Words from beguile

beguilement \ bi-ˈgī(-ə)l-mənt

, bē- \ noun

beguiler \ bi-ˈgī-lər

, bē- \ noun

Choose the Right Synonym for beguile

deceive, mislead, delude, beguile mean to lead astray or frustrate usually by underhandedness. deceive implies imposing a false idea or belief that causes ignorance, bewilderment, or helplessness. tried to deceive me about the cost mislead implies a leading astray that may or may not be intentional. I was misled by the confusing sign delude implies deceiving so thoroughly as to obscure the truth. we were deluded into thinking we were safe beguile stresses the use of charm and persuasion in deceiving. was beguiled by false promises

Did you know?

Deceive, mislead, delude, and beguile all mean "to lead astray" or "to frustrate," usually by underhandedness. Deceive implies imposing a false idea or belief that causes ignorance, bewilderment, or helplessness (as in "they tried to deceive me about the cost"). Mislead implies a leading astray that may or may not be intentional (as in "I was misled by the confusing sign"). Delude implies deceiving so thoroughly as to obscure the truth (as in "we were deluded into thinking we were safe"). Beguile stresses the use of charm and persuasion in deceiving (as in "they were beguiled by false promises"), and more generally describes the use of that charm to capture another's attention.

The Beguiling History of Beguile

A number of English words have traveled a rather curious path from meanings related to deception or trickery to something less unwelcome. A prime example is beguile, which first appeared in English around the 13th century in the sense “to lead or draw by deception.” For the next several centuries, most of the senses of the verb had to do, in one manner or another, with deceiving. Around the time of Shakespeare, however, the word took on a new sense, “to charm.” In a similar vein, fun was first recorded at the end of the 17th century as a verb meaning “to hoax or trick (someone).” It wasn’t until the middle of the 19th century that it began to be used as an adjective indicating that something was enjoyable. Amuse likewise started its life as a verb meaning “to divert the attention of (as from the truth or one's real intent).”

Examples of beguile in a Sentence

She was cunning enough to beguile her classmates into doing the work for her. They were beguiled into thinking they'd heard the whole story. Almost everything in the quaint little town beguiles, from its architecture to its art to its people. He beguiled the audience with his smooth and seductive voice.

Recent Examples on the Web What makes these over-the-top shortcomings especially apparent are the few moments that beguile with (relative) subtlety. — New York Times, 24 Oct. 2021 What’s needed is a better understanding of where these views about rental housing come from and what messages might beguile voters from them. — Roger Valdez, Forbes, 2 Sep. 2021 Intense and dense one moment, airy and inviting the next, her music can beguile even in its thorniest moments. — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 July 2021 His portrayal of the flirty seductive Jae-eon is sure to beguile his existing fans and possibly win him some new ones. — Joan Macdonald, Forbes, 21 June 2021 Elicited by sunlight at dusk or dawn, and juxtaposed with more emphatic hues, shades of pink can beguile and tantalize. — Washington Post, 23 Apr. 2021 This is how demagogic politicians and charismatic preachers can win us over, often despite their reliance on implausible narratives that beguile us. — Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2021 The result is a collection of photographs which beguile with intimacy and the unexpected. — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2020 His smile serves as translation: Le Comptoir du Vin beguiles diners from the start. — Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'beguile.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries Near beguile

beg to differ

beguile

beguiling

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Last Updated

14 Dec 2021

Cite this Entry

“Beguile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beguile. Accessed 21 Jan. 2022.

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More Definitions for beguile

beguile

verb

English Language Learners Definition of beguile

: to trick or deceive (someone)

: to attract or interest someone

See the full definition for beguile in the English Language Learners Dictionary

beguile

verb

be·guile | \ bi-ˈgīl

beguiled; beguiling

Kids Definition of beguile

1 : trick entry 2, deceive He was beguiled with lies.

2 : to cause time to pass pleasantly … throughout the rest of our night-march he beguiled the way with whistling of many tunes …— Robert Louis Stevenson, Kidnapped

3 : to attract or interest by or as if by charm The scenery beguiled us.