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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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Recent Examples of bemuse
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
The solemn participation of five presidents, current and former, at the state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter at Washington National Cathedral Thursday might well have bemused, well, Jimmy Carter.
—Susan Page, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bemuse
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
The solemn participation of five presidents, current and former, at the state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter at Washington National Cathedral Thursday might well have bemused, well, Jimmy Carter.
—Susan Page, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bemuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bemuse
Verb
-
What seems to interest Yamashita most is the awful experience of guessing how to answer the questions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 May 2026
-
Some plants don’t interest them as much, especially plants with hairy or fuzzy leaves or that are strongly scented.—
Rita Pelczar,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Former Republican state senator Jeff Brandes, who now leads the Florida Policy Project, said he was bewildered by the governor's proposal.—
Jim DeFede,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
-
Gasly seems faintly bewildered by the designation.—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
You’re intrigued by human behavior.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
1 June 2026
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Simmons was intrigued enough to indulge the possibility.—
Sam Blum,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Aryna Sabalenka being asked to dance after defeating Naomi Osaka in the French Open has one former American tennis star perplexed.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
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Democrats have been particularly perplexed given the state's top-two primary system, which places all candidates on a single ballot regardless of party.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 May 2026
Verb
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The combined disgust, discomfort, ignorance, and fascination with our Indigeneity that unsettled my aunties and fascinated my cousins made more sense to me.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 May 2026
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While the remote learning time during the COVID pandemic was challenging for many students, Ashlyn Duran used it to learn more about a subject that fascinated her.—
Amy Stark Shireman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Instead, the ideologues of Russian imperialism have turned to random musings and belligerent hate speech, which seems intended to confuse rather than convince.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2026
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Relocating a bird's nest is confusing for the parents, dangerous for the eggs, and, in most cases, against the law.—
Blythe Copeland,
Martha Stewart,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
While occupying the catwalk, contestants were allowed three ten-minute breaks and a twenty-minute shower each day.—
Jonathan Odden,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
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The hotel occupies 12 floors of a 42-story tower, offering 277 guest rooms and suites along with 15,000 square feet of event space.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
But he was baffled as to why people are now incensed over pickleball courts.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
3 June 2026
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For more than four minutes Darnold drove downfield, connecting on three of four passes, baffling the pass rushers, bleeding the clock, and by the time the Seahawks finally gave the ball back, the Rams had only 25 seconds to live.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bemuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bemuse. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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