as in bewildered
suffering from mental confusion
new federal regulations that the easily bemused should make no attempt to read and understand
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in intrigued
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in puzzled
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 bemused
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
The segment was typically a rapid- fire four- minute crash through the weekend soccer headlines— a conversation between me and Joe— with the rest of the regular political pundits looking on in a bemused silence.
—Roger Bennett, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2026
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for bemused
Adjective
His bemused reaction quickly morphed into something more instructive.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
The segment was typically a rapid- fire four- minute crash through the weekend soccer headlines— a conversation between me and Joe— with the rest of the regular political pundits looking on in a bemused silence.
—Roger Bennett, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2026
Verb
Bayern’s players were also bemused by the decision not to award a very late spot kick to them for handball.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for bemused
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bemused
Adjective
-
This sometimes left audience members bewildered about what had actually happened.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The passenger in the back eventually looked up from her phone, noticed Louise, and locked eyes with this bewildered-looking woman blocking the crosswalk.—
Catherine Lacey,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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He’s currently projected as a second-rounder, but NBA scouts are intrigued by his defensive ability and versatility.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
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And then there were fans intrigued by the league’s potential holiday play, particularly the idea of a Thanksgiving Eve spotlight.—
Rowan Fisher-Shotton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Ballard also testified he was puzzled by Rivera’s statement in a Washington Post story about PDV USA’s suit against his company, which was accused of receiving $20 million over several months in 2017 for doing little work for ostensibly promoting CITGO’s oil interests in the United States.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2026
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This gap has puzzled researchers for years.—
Rhonda Winegar,
The Conversation,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The boyfriend is dead and Betty helps Laura, relatively unharmed but dazed, back to her house.—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
-
When Sneaky Snook in his mail truck happened upon the wreckage near the boundary of Meredith Downs, sheep were scattered along the roadside and the fence, bleating, dazed.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That’s what interested us as well.—
Kevin Giraud,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2026
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These stories are not only fun to read, but also provide valuable information about ideas that interested early Christians.—
Christy Cobb,
The Conversation,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Late Show host appeared genuinely baffled by the president’s current poll numbers during his opening monologue on Tuesday, mostly due to the 22 percent of Americans who are still throwing their support behind the 79-year-old former reality star.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Apr. 2026
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No one, not even Jason — who is baffled at the galley’s sudden collapse — is more surprised at Ellie’s outburst than Ben.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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With all those numbers flying around, Americans might be understandably confused about when, exactly, they are expected to retire.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
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Despite the convenience of the one-stop concept, the process is so convoluted that some left frustrated and confused.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The vice president added that he has long been fascinated by the subject and hinted at his interest in reviewing classified information during his time in office.—
Rena Rowe,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Mar. 2026
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For decades, the Zeigler case has fascinated the public around the world, leading to television shows, books, documentaries and a variety of crime sleuths creating various conspiracy theories.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bemused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bemused. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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