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
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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
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Recent Examples of bemuse
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
Fans were also asked about having heated seats, eating sushi and drinking prosecco, which bemused many.
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bemuse
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
Fans were also asked about having heated seats, eating sushi and drinking prosecco, which bemused many.
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bemuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bemuse
Verb
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There’s something easy about sweet that doesn’t interest me.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
-
If that interests you, read on.—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Netizens were bewildered by the latest pivot, resulting in plenty of mockery on social media.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
16 Apr. 2026
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But even more than engaging the big ideas that Emma’s revelation triggers — pun somewhat intended — Lee and Borli wanted to craft an experience that would mimic its main characters’ bewildering interiority.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Olympia’s ex-husband, Julian (Jason Ritter), the son of the head of the firm (Beau Bridges), is intrigued by Matty and her clever skills.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
20 Apr. 2026
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She’s not just intrigued by the complex interplay of the immune system and hormones that drive endometriosis but is one of the millions of American women who have it, suffering years of misdiagnosis, blackout levels of pain and infertility.—
Carolyn Y. Johnson,
Washington Post,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Baer appeared perplexed by this coy pretense of innocence.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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Stocks’ march higher in the face of deepening geopolitical uncertainty is leaving some on Wall Street increasingly perplexed.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In the book, Oppenheimer noted a family legend that Kennedy was fascinated by bugs as an infant; by the age of nine, the book said, Kennedy had a pet collection that included raccoons, rats, a horse, a calf, lizards, chickens, and snakes.—
Erin Vanderhoof,
Vanity Fair,
16 Apr. 2026
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The price of rotisserie and roast chicken has long fascinated New Yorkers.—
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But Neptune also blurs lines, which is why its influence can feel mysterious or even confusing at times.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
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The threats have left operators confused and frozen, unwilling to attempt passage, due to safety fears and uncertainty about Iran's new fee system.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Shortly after the full-time whistle blew on Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat at Manchester City, a weary team trudged over to the corner of the ground occupied by the travelling fans.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
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Local media reports suggest the fallen statue was in the Christian village of Debl, near the Israeli border in an area IDF forces have occupied for several weeks, forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents.—
April 20,
CBS News,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Government officials, who had already introduced measures to ease the burden of price rises, have been baffled over the rationale behind the protests because the price spike is global and due to the conflict in the Middle East that has restricted oil exports.—
Brian Melley,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
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This baffles and outrages Angela, a protective mom who, with other parents, pushes back against Gabor using her math classroom as a forum for introducing the outside world’s worst actions.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bemuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bemuse. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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