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bemuse

verb

bi-ˈmyüz How to pronounce bemuse (audio)
Definition of bemusenext
1
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
  1. interest
  2. bewilder
  3. intrigue
  4. perplex
  5. fascinate
  6. confuse
  7. occupy
  8. baffle
Verb
  • And that the practice of science was something that really interested me.
    — David Brooks, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Certain details, such as a lost footnote that only exists in a single edition of the volume as a handwritten addendum, interest him greatly.
    — Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of interest
Verb
  • Dan emerges as Primetime’s unlikely heart, bewildered by the dark world he’s wandered into and left to negotiate his ambitions with the high stakes of the job.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026
  • That’s a common sentiment from a touring superstar, but there’s a sense that Kahan really might be as happily bewildered as the rest of us about how songs this personal and cloudy came to captivate even sunny California.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of bewilder
Verb
  • But we are intrigued by this, because that’s not the way that the suspects are thinking.
    — Anusha Praturu, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
  • When a solar sales team showed up at Craig McKinney's Waxahachie home last year, he was intrigued.
    — Erin Jones, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of intrigue
Verb
  • While Peta protests at fashion week are nothing new, many were perplexed by the idea that wool should be removed from the supply chain.
    — Sophie Lou Wilson, Vogue, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Nearly everyone outside Michigan was perplexed, or downright angry, about the outcome.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of perplex
Verb
  • At this time last year, many were fascinated by undrafted rookie free agent Brady Cook.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026
  • But the darker side of humanity has always fascinated me, as do mystical practices.
    — Ashley Woo, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of fascinate
Verb
  • But the decision left many in the football community confused, with an online petition started by alumnus Tim Hanrahan garnering more than 3,000 signatures.
    — Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • This is where things get messy, and many folks — oligarchs in particular — become invested in keeping the general voter confused.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of confuse
Verb
  • Undergraduate education, credentialing, scientific research, professionalization, and coming of age still occupy the same campuses.
    — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2026
  • One of the Heuers’ next-door neighbors, however, occupies more of a middle ground.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of occupy
Verb
  • On September 8, 2026, OpenAI announced that an artificial intelligence model may have solved one of the most significant problems in the field, the infamous Navier-Stokes problem, which had baffled countless mathematicians for decades.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Known as chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) — or Mesoamerican nephropathy — the condition continues to baffle researchers, as some otherwise healthy adults develop kidney failure without having any of the traditional risk factors.
    — Shiv Sudhakar, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of baffle

Browse Nearby Words

bemoans
bemuse
bemused
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Cite this Entry

“Bemuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bemuse. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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