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
Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026
His bemused reaction quickly morphed into something more instructive.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 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
Auriemma watched the chaos unfold wearing a bemused smirk.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026
His bemused reaction quickly morphed into something more instructive.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 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
-
Everyone was so relieved to see how bewildered everyone else was that the feeling in this place was almost festive.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Numerous cryptocurrency novices become bewildered by intricate decals and fluctuating percentages.—
Malana VanTyler,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Tocchet reiterated Wednesday that he’s intrigued by Barkey’s versatility.—
Kevin Kurz,
New York Times,
6 May 2026
-
He was intrigued by Caglianone’s approach throughout Saturday’s victory.—
Jaylon Thompson
May 3,
Kansas City Star,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
Beata Siemionkowicz's immigration case has puzzled her family and experts.—
Sabrina Franza,
CBS News,
7 May 2026
-
What appears to be an outbreak of hantavirus on a ship anchored near the tiny mid-Atlantic nation of Cabo Verde has infectious diseases experts puzzled.—
Theresa Gaffney,
STAT,
5 May 2026
Adjective
-
Emotions boiled over earlier in the period after Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven crushed Hurricanes counterpart Alexander Nikishin with a huge hit that left the Russian dazed and needing help off the ice.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
In his emotional breakdowns, Elliott buckles under his testy relationship with his mother Lynn and then wanders through gatherings and parties with a perpetually dazed expression.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As to why the format interested him, Hawley pointed to a similarity with Fargo.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Cindy would give Ann gourmet popcorn or maybe a sweatshirt from her alma mater, while Ann would give Cindy a special book on a topic that interested her, or maybe an old batch of family recipes.—
Ross Channing Reed,
The Conversation,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His gift is an uncanny ability to solve crimes that leave the LAPD baffled, armed only with the savvy and dry humor reminiscent of the gumshoe detectives of the noir genre.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
28 Apr. 2026
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During our overnight coverage on CNN, Jim Sciutto pointed out that people watching in other countries are baffled by this American attribute.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The new districts and their boundaries have even confused candidates and their campaign staffers.—
Anthony Man,
Sun Sentinel,
9 May 2026
-
Marna, seemingly confused, asked if the message was meant for her.—
Jessica Mathews,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Snakes are another species that Attenborough has been fascinated with for decades, despite some being more poisonous than others.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
8 May 2026
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Yoo is fascinated by how Love Is Blind might fare in Korea.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bemused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bemused. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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