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
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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
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Recent Examples of bamboozled
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
Lenders are more easily bamboozled by fake spreadsheets than by fake factories.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 11 Nov. 2025
Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 27 Mar. 2026
Lenders are more easily bamboozled by fake spreadsheets than by fake factories.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 11 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bamboozled
Verb
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Not long before Brettler's death, Sharma had learned the kid had tricked him.—
Frank Langfitt,
NPR,
4 Apr. 2026
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Read how North Korean hackers tricked Ben and got into his computer.—
Alexei Oreskovic,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Perry says that the label wanted to call the record 4 Non Blondes, which baffled her.—
Brenna Ehrlich,
Rolling Stone,
21 Apr. 2026
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The Brotherly Bultema Battery of junior pitcher Maddux and sophomore catcher Nolan had the South Lake hitters baffled.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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He had been fooled a couple of times by the slider during the sequence but didn’t miss the third one Sasaki threw him.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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Mbappé broke the deadlock in the 30th minute with a shot that deflected on an Alaves defender and fooled goalkeeper Antonio Sivera.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Rockets were confused, Durant being a late scratch and their attack being lost without him, Reed Sheppard and Amen Thompson combining for 38 shots and a bunch of misses.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
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Several residents say they were left scared and confused as strong winds and heavy rain moved through the area.—
Hannah McIlree,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But don't be deceived by the small-town charm—there's plenty to do here, with historic downtowns full of unique shops, heaps of Southern comfort food, and 80,000 acres of wildlife areas to explore by kayak, bike, and boat.—
Amanda Ogle,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Apr. 2026
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Marie then opened up to Julia about her own experience being deceived by a man who used religion to abuse his power.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The mass unemployment everyone feared is still missing Initial jobless claims rose to 214,000 in the most recent week surveyed but the overall trend remains down and Wall Street is slightly puzzled as to why.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
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The city’s handling of its project to improve Clairemont’s Olive Grove Park, which has been underway for nearly two years, has left the community puzzled.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Netizens were bewildered by the latest pivot, resulting in plenty of mockery on social media.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
16 Apr. 2026
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Now, many millions of Americans are bewildered by events.—
David French,
Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As Season 3 of Euphoria continues to stir up some controversy, one of the show’s stars is perplexed by Cassie’s (Sydney Sweeney) OnlyFans storyline.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2026
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Baer appeared perplexed by this coy pretense of innocence.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bamboozled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bamboozled. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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