1
as in to deceive
to cause to believe what is untrue
bamboozled by con men into buying worthless land in the desert
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to confuse
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
I'm completely bamboozled by the latest changes in the tax code
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bamboozle
Knowles could be key to shutting down an Ohio State that has bamboozled every challenger to date this year, but Saturday’s host is bound to have some tricks up its sleeve in return.
—
Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2025
His new changeup ducked under bats to bamboozle the Mariners’ lefties.
—Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Someone might use their power to bamboozle you.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 5 Aug. 2025
With three full courtyards and mazes of tunnels and buildings, Chillon was brilliantly designed to bamboozle any invaders who managed to enter.
—John Oseid, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bamboozle
Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2025
His new changeup ducked under bats to bamboozle the Mariners’ lefties.
—Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Someone might use their power to bamboozle you.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 5 Aug. 2025
With three full courtyards and mazes of tunnels and buildings, Chillon was brilliantly designed to bamboozle any invaders who managed to enter.
—John Oseid, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bamboozle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bamboozle
Verb
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Neglecting The Kitchen Sink Your sink may look spick-and-span, but looks can be deceiving.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
16 Feb. 2026
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But a superficial comparison between Delta, United, and American across certain headline metrics can be deceiving.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Restaurants that have a smaller 3% charge to cover healthcare might leave customers confused on how to proceed.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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Netflix representatives have been warning investors not to confuse the expiration of the Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period with regulatory clearance, citing examples where DOJ investigations have continued, per a note from Guggenheim Securities this week.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Extreme Weather Protection Mother Nature can trick us and send in one last big cold front in late winter.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
18 Feb. 2026
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Hill and Bowman run through all those reasons people use to avoid exercise, work through how the brain is trying to trick you and explain how to overcome that particular trap.—
Leying Tang,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The continued controversy over the Bad Bunny Super Bowl performance baffles me.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Feb. 2026
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Yet Howe, his coaches and recruitment staff were baffled by such early criticism.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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What fools these non-OpenAI mortals must be.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
15 Feb. 2026
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Still, don’t be fooled by the light turnout.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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McNutt housed some 700 kids — about one-third of the population of French Lick — and Bird found the campus outside the dormitory walls bewildering.—
Keith O'Brien,
Rolling Stone,
22 Feb. 2026
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Even a principled, well-meaning actor like Claude could face bewildering ethical conflicts.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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She also was perplexed at the city’s inaction while noting a new leader offers a fresh perspective.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
13 Feb. 2026
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The moment became viral on social media, with some X users perplexed at the interview.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Michigan's moose population has stagnated after being reintroduced in the 1980s, puzzling scientists.—
Free Press staff,
Freep.com,
19 Feb. 2026
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Polestar’s willingness to deviate from the status quo of carmaking was commendable, but its strategies have been puzzling since the very beginning.—
Adam Ismail,
The Drive,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bamboozle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bamboozle. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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