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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

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

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
  • What interests me more is how much smarter these devices are becoming.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • This question interested me as a computational biophysicist who studies how living systems process information and adapt to changing environments.
    — Shiladitya Banerjee, The Conversation, 10 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
  • Neal, who grew up a 49ers fan, put it bluntly when he and his father were asked why the family was so intrigued by the Seahawks in particular.
    — Andrew Destin, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Since Simpson was drafted out of Georgia Tech in 2022, Mottola wanted Rays minor-league coaches to refrain from making any changes, intrigued to see how far the unique skill set could take him.
    — Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of intrigue
Verb
  • Others are perplexed at the meshing of fact (Wat Tyler and the Revolt) and fiction (Robin Hood).
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
  • As crime units and crime tape surrounded the house, neighbors who knew the officer are perplexed.
    — Anna Meiler, CBS News, 19 Aug. 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
  • The Polo Room Not to be confused with Ralph Lauren’s Polo Bar, the Polo Room takes its name from the actual sport—international polo star Nacho Figueras is a co-owner, and his Argentine heritage runs throughout the restaurant.
    — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
  • There’s no complicated touchscreen to confuse older family members or young kids, either.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 3 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 19 Sep. 2026.

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