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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of bemused
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
Meghan gave a theatrical, bemused shrug before returning to eating a piece of pie.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025
Michael Walker, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
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 facial expressions are often pained or bemused.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
Meghan gave a theatrical, bemused shrug before returning to eating a piece of pie.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025
Verb
Charlton was not bemused by this.
—Michael Walker, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
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
-
The usually positive Gauff went negative, lacked energy and seemed bewildered and overwhelmed.—
Merlisa Lawrence Corbett,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Since his starring days at Gonzaga, Timme has earned bewildered double takes.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Russell notes that he was particularly intrigued by his role.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Judy was intrigued, both by the suitcase and the man who gave it to her.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Although puzzled, Aisha answered honestly.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Like his wife, Moore was puzzled when their friend didn’t show up to eat dinner.—
Julian Roberts-Grmela,
New York Daily News,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
But plenty of people tell of being left dazed and destabilized by ayahuasca ceremonies and struggling to return to their previous lives; some make sudden life changes that only bring distress and further trauma.—
Mattha Busby,
Rolling Stone,
16 Jan. 2026
-
The slightly dazed look of someone who has just emerged from an eight-hour surgery.—
Matthew Kayser,
Ascend Agency,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
What interested me in photographing Chalmers wasn’t capturing the disembodied ideas.—
Dan Turello,
New Yorker,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Tommaso di Lampedusa’s novel, which looks at the unification of Italy from the perspective of a 20th-century writer, had a modernity that interested me.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Later novels routinely took inspiration from family members or former or current lovers; the 1980 novel that baffled Frank Kermode is a dreamlike fable about a man guiltily trying to have an extramarital affair.—
Christopher Tayler,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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Instead, Chan's team taught Liu how to juggle, which baffled her.—
Daysia Tolentino,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Goedert scored his second touchdown on a fourth-and-2 leaving a confused Malik Mustapha behind him in the left flat.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Yet many of its citizens feel both whiplashed and confused.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Details of the service were kept private, but the family's public show of solidarity in turning out to support Caroline is typical of the Kennedy dynasty, which has fascinated Americans for decades.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Bass, who as a young man played a year as a tailback for the Utah State Aggies, was fascinated by the program, and its coach, Anthony Barnes.—
Michael Schaub,
Oc Register,
29 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bemused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bemused. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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