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 The Beguiling History of Beguile More Example Sentences Learn More about beguile

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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

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 Human beings are beguiled by the mysterious aloofness of cats; their prowess as hunters; their sensuous, sculpted bodies; their elegant, acrobatic grace and agility; their kittenish curiosity and mischief; and their regal dignity. — Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Our beloved pets leave paw prints on our hearts," 21 Sep. 2019 The later canvases, made as recently as 1996, boast the impeccable finishes, smooth tonal transitions, rich reddish-black backdrops and beguiling luminosity of great oil paintings from 500 years ago. — Washington Post, "In the galleries: The heady works of Soriano at OAS Art Museum of the Americas," 13 Sep. 2019 David Hockney’s beguiling iPad sketches featured in The New Yorker are early examples of this innovation. — Anne Quito, Quartzy, "Why editorial illustrations look so similar these days," 26 Oct. 2019 And yet, socialism still beguiled leading intellectuals and politicians of the West. — Lee Edwards, National Review, "Three Nations That Tried Socialism and Rejected It," 14 Oct. 2019 Just as the race to break the sub-four-minute mile engrossed the public in the nineteen-fifties, so the sub-two-hour marathon has beguiled contemporary students of running. — Ed Caesar, The New Yorker, "Inside the Race to Break the Two-Hour Marathon," 11 Oct. 2019 The result, however, is a scene that’s beguiling yet rudderless. — Owen Gleiberman, chicagotribune.com, "‘Light of My Life’ review: Casey Affleck directs father, daughter on a rudderless journey through dystopian times," 7 Aug. 2019 Still, given his innate centrist tendencies that still beguile the occasional moderate Republican, Mr Warner is wary of the cross-currents of presidential politics. — J.s. | Richmond, The Economist, "Senator Mark Warner of Virginia appears to be heading for a third term," 1 Aug. 2019 Unlike the naïve young analysand, we won’t be beguiled by Lucy’s blunt advice. — Nicole Rudick, The New Yorker, "How “Peanuts” Created a Space for Thinking," 6 Aug. 2019

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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Last Updated

28 Nov 2019

Cite this Entry

“Beguile.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beguilement?pronunciation&lang=en_us&dir=b&file=beguil02. Accessed 9 December 2019.

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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.

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