bamboozled

verb

Definition of bamboozlednext
past tense of bamboozle
1
as in tricked
to cause to believe what is untrue bamboozled by con men into buying worthless land in the desert

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in baffled
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bamboozled Lenders are more easily bamboozled by fake spreadsheets than by fake factories. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 11 Nov. 2025 Frank concluded that many Kansans had been bamboozled by populist anti-elitism. — U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2026 With the Barcelona defence bamboozled, Cole and Yorke traded passes and the former converted. — Stuart James, New York Times, 23 June 2026 To enter this anniversary uncritically — wrapped in flags and the mythology of manifest destiny — is to be bamboozled. — Otis Moss Iii, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026 Watch Daizen Maeda’s strike against Sweden, a delightful one- and two-touch passing move that bamboozled the opposition defense. — David Hickey, NBC news, 29 June 2026 Way back in 2018, Gaines and Riley were running split-back formations and leaving opposing defenses bamboozled while playing for the 12-and-under Moreno Valley Falcons in the heart of Southern California. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bamboozled
  1. tricked
  2. baffled
  3. fooled
  4. confused
  5. deceived
  6. puzzled
  7. bewildered
  8. perplexed
Verb
  • Ricky Saints tricked the referee into thinking Lil Yachty used the kendo stick on him, and after traveling all the way to Riyadh, Yachty was tossed out just minutes into the match.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
  • While the war ended years before, the hostility spread from the stands — with skirmishes among supporters — into the field, when Maradona tricked the referee and the world with the World Cup’s most infamous goal, punching the ball into the net with his fist above England’s goalie Peter Shilton.
    — Gabriel Sama, Mercury News, 21 June 2026
Definition of tricked
Verb
  • Pz’ spends much of his proper debut, No Turning Back, equally baffled by his good fortune and ready to fasten it to his side with a Gucci strap before anyone else can take it.
    — Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 3 July 2026
  • His focus on the voting bill, instead of signing one that tackles a top issue for voters, has left some GOP strategists baffled.
    — David Hickey, NBC news, 2 July 2026
Definition of baffled
Verb
  • Don’t be fooled by their jaw-dropping price; the flats boast a luxe look thanks to their low profile and—of course—glove silhouette.
    — Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 3 July 2026
  • The fluffy blooms on mimosa trees (Albizia julibrissin) look pretty in pink, but don’t be fooled by their dainty appearance.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 July 2026
Definition of fooled
Verb
  • When major international events bring millions of visitors unfamiliar with local customs, leaving guests confused by unexpected pricing practices.
    — Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
  • An executive at the sneaker company Vans has issued an apology after a collaboration with the streetwear brand Fugazi was confused for a collaboration with the legendary — and legendarily anti-consumerist — punk band Fugazi.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 6 July 2026
Definition of confused
Verb
  • Dana, falling in love with Zorro and out of love with Diego, and being deceived by both, is sublimely affecting.
    — Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
  • In nearly half of all scams, 49% of the victims were also deceived into personally sending money to the scammers.
    — Samantha Elkins, NBC news, 30 June 2026
Definition of deceived
Verb
  • Stock Chart IconStock chart icon Gold not glittering As for gold, while the yellow metal has traditionally been sought out by kings and paupers throughout history alike, the anaemic gold price has puzzled experts.
    — Lim Hui Jie,Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 July 2026
  • When Hilary Streever relayed the agents' message to David, he was puzzled.
    — Jude Joffe-Block, NPR, 1 July 2026
Definition of puzzled
Verb
  • Former Republican state senator Jeff Brandes, who now leads the Florida Policy Project, said he was bewildered by the governor's proposal.
    — Jim DeFede, CBS News, 31 May 2026
  • Gasly seems faintly bewildered by the designation.
    — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 27 Apr. 2026
Definition of bewildered
Verb
  • And Wednesday’s doubleheader — thanks to a Monday rainout that perplexed Counsell — certainly didn’t help the pitching staff.
    — Sean Hammond, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026
  • None of this is meant to demean Byram, who’ll likely now face extra scrutiny from a fanbase that’s surely perplexed by this move, especially once the Blackhawks extend his contract, possibly to the $10 million range.
    — Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 24 June 2026
Definition of perplexed

Browse Nearby Words

bamboozle
bamboozled
bamboozlement
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bamboozled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bamboozled. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on bamboozled

Nglish: Translation of bamboozled for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All