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
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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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After being tricked by Scarpia, Cavaradossi is hanged for treason.—
Courtney Lewis,
Florida Times-Union,
28 Mar. 2026
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Ever since the first caveman tricked his neighbor into trading a pile of rocks for some tasty mastodon steaks, con men have been persuading others to act against their own interests.—
Neil J. Rubenking,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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No one, not even Jason — who is baffled at the galley’s sudden collapse — is more surprised at Ellie’s outburst than Ben.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2026
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On Sunday, Roan responded on Instagram, seemingly baffled by the swirling controversy.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Some commenters on social media said they were nearly fooled, but others compared the all-white design to certain plates manufactured years ago that are prone to peeling.—
Hope Karnopp,
jsonline.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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Don’t be fooled by the casual, conveyor belt setup; diners rave about its excellent quality and freshness.—
Zoe Baillargeon,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And now New Idea is reporting that Baker’s ex, Rebecca Rigg, who is very close to Kidman, is a bit confused by the situation.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
30 Mar. 2026
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In addition, DraftKings argues that consumers aren’t confused by DraftKings’ use of March Madness.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Klipsch Austin Portable Bluetooth Speaker Deal Don't be deceived by the small Klipsch Austin portable speaker.—
George Yang,
PC Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
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Svetlana Petriychuk wrote the play Finist, the Brave Falcon, based on real events, about Russian women deceived into marrying ISIS fighters and traveling to Syria.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Ballard also testified he was puzzled by Rivera’s statement in a Washington Post story about PDV USA’s suit against his company, which was accused of receiving $20 million over several months in 2017 for doing little work for ostensibly promoting CITGO’s oil interests in the United States.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2026
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This gap has puzzled researchers for years.—
Rhonda Winegar,
The Conversation,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Now, many millions of Americans are bewildered by events.—
David French,
Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2026
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Oswalt confesses being bewildered by Bamford at first.—
Lisa Kennedy,
Variety,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Fifty Shades of Grey actress was perplexed.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Mar. 2026
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Their presence prompted nervousness among beachgoers and surfers sharing the water, but marveled researchers who were perplexed by the abnormally longer stay close to shore.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bamboozled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bamboozled. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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