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
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
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
With the Barcelona defence bamboozled, Cole and Yorke traded passes and the former converted.
—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
Frank concluded that many Kansans had been bamboozled by populist anti-elitism.
—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 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
Lenders are more easily bamboozled by fake spreadsheets than by fake factories.
—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
11 Nov. 2025
David Hickey,
NBC news,
29 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
With the Barcelona defence bamboozled, Cole and Yorke traded passes and the former converted.
—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
Frank concluded that many Kansans had been bamboozled by populist anti-elitism.
—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 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
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
-
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.
-
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.
Verb
-
His mother, Ahmani Hicks, describes him as a kid who loved sports, and she's baffled as to why her son was targeted.
-
Known as the Galactic Center Excess, a spherical gamma-ray glow extending out for thousands of light-years from the core of our galaxy, this high-energy light has baffled researchers for over a decade.
Verb
-
The second swing was more of an off-balanced flail, the telltale sign of being fooled by a breaking ball.
-
An incredibly realistic short almond nail set that may just have your friends fooled.
Verb
-
Narcissism should never be confused with the healthy form of philautia, a unique Greek philosophy of self-love.
-
One workshop is a Mindful Archery class, not to be confused with her other course Meditative Archery, which involves Jungian journaling; and there’s a one-on-one archery session with spiritual guidance.
Verb
-
Dana, falling in love with Zorro and out of love with Diego, and being deceived by both, is sublimely affecting.
-
In nearly half of all scams, 49% of the victims were also deceived into personally sending money to the scammers.
Verb
-
Pochettino seemed puzzled by the downcast tone of his post-match press conference.
-
Astronomers are puzzled that such a glaring inconsistency could have gone unnoticed in existing data, such as the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), which provides our earliest snapshot of the universe.
Verb
-
Former Republican state senator Jeff Brandes, who now leads the Florida Policy Project, said he was bewildered by the governor's proposal.
-
Gasly seems faintly bewildered by the designation.
Verb
-
And Wednesday’s doubleheader — thanks to a Monday rainout that perplexed Counsell — certainly didn’t help the pitching staff.
-
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.
Cite this Entry
“Bamboozled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bamboozled. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
