BEMUSE Synonyms: 109 Similar and Opposite Words

bemuse

verb

bi-ˈmyüz

Definition of bemuse

as in to interest

to hold the attention of a public that seemed more bemused by the shenanigans of celebrities than by a war being waged half a world away

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to bewilder

to throw into a state of mental uncertainty the stage mishap momentarily bemused the actress

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 bemuse Needless to say, Ben Shelton (who ended up winning the men’s event) and his opponent Karen Khachanov were bemused by the interruption. — Max Gao, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2025 Audiences bemused, delighted, hoodwinked theatrically, hoodwinked for real. — Anne Carson, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2025 Cue a wave of gags in which Hank is bemused by everything from boba to hybrid-car engines to all-gender bathrooms. — Genevieve Koski, Vulture, 4 Aug. 2025 Kylie — who was also in attendance at the taping, appeared utterly bemused by the life-sized re-creation of her children’s drawing. — Toria Sheffield, People.com, 18 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bemuse

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bemuse

Verb

What interests me most is the possibility of giving doctors another set of highly capable eyes.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026
Follow what interests you without needing to come home with a grand revelation.

— Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of interest

Verb

Many Eagles players were concerned and bewildered by the development.

— Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Latif is conflicted by his double life, bewildered by his doubling of parental responsibilities, constantly trying to think two moves ahead yet always ending up three steps behind.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of bewilder

Verb

Both Heder and Madeley were intrigued by the juxtaposition of Heumann’s desire for movement with her paralysis forcing her to be still.

— Kristen Lopez, IndieWire, 2 Nov. 2026
Now in his 14th season with the NBA, Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum was first intrigued by wine when his wife Elise’s parents gifted the couple a bottle of Merlot while the two were still in college and dating.

— Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of intrigue

Verb

At Telluride, Fielder, who had initially planned to stay behind the scenes, admitted he was still perplexed by the couple’s openness.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
They were perplexed at first, flummoxed, but pleasant, and unfortunately for them, already long gone from the airport.

— Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of perplex

Verb

Mitchell Kohrmann was fascinated by the Cannonball record runs between New York City and Los Angeles, but decided to make things more interesting by choosing the slowest possible car.

— Stephen Edelstein, The Drive, 1 Nov. 2026
Those copious field reports, sworn affidavits, and telegrams signed, alarmingly, HOOVER, would fascinate, enrage, and unmoor me.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of fascinate

Verb

For months, Republicans have suspected that the second Dan Sullivan’s Senate bid was designed to confuse voters as part of a broader scheme allegedly plotted by the Democratic Party to boost Peltola’s chances.

— Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 2 Nov. 2026
The possibility of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe should not be confused with evidence that extraterrestrial beings have visited Earth, Kirkpatrick said.

— Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of confuse

Verb

The rooms Most of the 297 rooms and suites occupy a 30-storey tower added in the ’90s, where champagne tones, glossy dark woods, and silk accents meet impeccable detail.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026
The new Mastro’s took over the ground-floor space formerly occupied by McCormick & Schmick’s at the corner of Marietta Street and Centennial Olympic Park Drive.

— Henri Hollis, AJC.com, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of occupy

Verb

However, having gone through this first season, many are now baffled as to how the algorithm works.

— Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2026
But, about eight days before the election, when Acker heard that Stevens was thinking about switching her endorsement from El-Sayed to the Republican Senate candidate, Mike Rogers, he was baffled.

— Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of baffle

Browse Nearby Words

bemoans

bemuse

bemused

See all Nearby Words

Articles Related to bemuse

Cite this Entry

Style

“Bemuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bemuse. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of bemuse

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Skunked Words

Can 'bemuse' mean 'amuse'?

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

abandon

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

The Words of the Week - Nov. 6

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes