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
-
Connie is bewildered but happy about this.—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
20 Apr. 2026
-
This sometimes left audience members bewildered about what had actually happened.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Not out of desperation — although a desire for a steady income is certainly a motivator — but because she’s genuinely intrigued by this new possible job.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
15 Apr. 2026
-
What intrigued Cronin most was the chance to reinvent a monster that has often been treated as more icon than character.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His award recognizes his contributions to settle several questions in differential geometry that had puzzled mathematicians since the 1970s and 1980s.—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
19 Apr. 2026
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The diminutive scale of Giacometti’s proposal—a nondescript bust atop a small square base—puzzled his colleagues.—
Ara H. Merjian,
ARTnews.com,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
No one is immune to the lampooning, even the dazed and confused sons and daughters who get sidelined and pawned off due to their parents’ ambitions, neuroses and desires to achieve greatness.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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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Perry says that the label wanted to call the record 4 Non Blondes, which baffled her.—
Brenna Ehrlich,
Rolling Stone,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The Brotherly Bultema Battery of junior pitcher Maddux and sophomore catcher Nolan had the South Lake hitters baffled.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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It gets filled by outside forces, many of whom have foreign ties and understand that a confused and misinformed public is easier to manipulate than an informed one.—
Julian Baron,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Apr. 2026
-
The second is that Trump, as strategist-in-chief, keeps giving his negotiators objectives so implausible, confused or contradictory that even the wiliest diplomats in history — a Klemens von Metternich in the 19th century, say, or a Henry Kissinger in the 20th — would come up empty.—
Andreas Kluth,
Mercury News,
18 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
Cite this Entry
“Bemused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bemused. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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