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
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
Fans were also asked about having heated seats, eating sushi and drinking prosecco, which bemused many.
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
In many of these works, the father figure becomes a representative of masculinity, or old values, or an adult world that bemuses the young son.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for bemuse
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
Fans were also asked about having heated seats, eating sushi and drinking prosecco, which bemused many.
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
In many of these works, the father figure becomes a representative of masculinity, or old values, or an adult world that bemuses the young son.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for bemuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bemuse
Verb
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In Brazil, the debate on narcoterrorism, even after Furtado’s bill was back on the table, seemed not to interest the main figures of the country’s far right.—
Evandro Cruz Silva,
The Dial,
10 Feb. 2026
-
That doesn’t interest me as a writer.—
Ernesto Lechner,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Oswalt confesses being bewildered by Bamford at first.—
Lisa Kennedy,
Variety,
30 Jan. 2026
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No matter what the reasons, Belichick, his former Patriots players and NFL fans, are bewildered by the snub.—
Merlisa Lawrence Corbett,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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For several months, a mysterious sign displayed in the windows of vacant storefront in Shorewood has intrigued passersby along Capitol Drive.—
Claudia Levens,
jsonline.com,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The dancing and costumes took me back to being a young teen watching the airbrushed sultriness of early-2000s MTV and being intrigued by the world that allegedly existed somewhere outside my home.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That’s perplexing to Alvarez and Oakley, given that Cal State tuition is still relatively low, despite recent annual tuition hikes.—
Cal Matters,
Mercury News,
28 Jan. 2026
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Gargantuan boulders, twisted spiky trees, and vibrant sunset colors form an arid landscape that has perplexed and inspired creative titans like Jim Morrison and Gram Parsons for years.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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From legal aspirations to a life of art As a girl, I was fascinated by color, texture and creative expressions.—
Anya Sesay,
jsonline.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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His life’s tapestry reflected a unique business, American and Jewish journey that fascinated and inspired me.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The California Department of Public Health is urging people to avoid mushroom foraging altogether this year because death cap mushrooms are easily confused with safe, edible varieties.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
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Germany's exact medal count is a point of contention because Germany has not always competed in each Olympics as a unified country, which can lead to confusing medal counts.—
Aliza Chasan,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
On one side stood a dozen or so cages occupied by snow-white rats.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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These are among the latest antisemitic conspiracy theories to be born from the Jeffrey Epstein files, following the document dump that has occupied online commentators for days.—
Grace Gilson,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Their tactics really baffle their strategy.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
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Homeowners and residents are baffled by the attacks upon their beautiful — but otherwise seemingly useless — plants.—
Tribune News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bemuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bemuse. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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