BEMUSED Synonyms: 145 Similar and Opposite Words

bemused 1 of 2

adjective

bi-ˈmyüzd

Definition of bemused

as in bewildered

suffering from mental confusion new federal regulations that the easily bemused should make no attempt to read and understand

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bemused

2 of 2

verb

past tense of bemuse

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in puzzled

to throw into a state of mental uncertainty the stage mishap momentarily bemused the actress

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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 bemused

Adjective

Pochettino said with a bemused grin. — ABC News, 24 June 2026 Chuck Leavell, a member of the Allman Brothers from 1972 to 1976 and lifelong ambassador of their music, recalls learning about the unlikely union with a bemused expression. — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 17 June 2026

Verb

Herrington, once bemused by how cultlike the principles seemed, now views them as an indispensable guide for culture at Amazon—and one that’s stood the test of time and will continue to do so. — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 18 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

What appears before the bewildered trio is a boy with a face resembling a frog’s, named Fūsuke.

— Jennifer Maas, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
But Iñárritu’s caricatures become people in a way Kubrick’s don’t; as the bewildered President, for example, John Goodman is simultaneously grounded and theatrical in his presentation, recalling his best work with the Coen brothers.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of bewildered

Verb

But then an acquaintance asked how the London lamppost ended up in the middle of Narnia’s woodland, and Lewis was intrigued enough by the question to start a prequel, The Magician’s Nephew, in order to find an answer.

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026
Of the four-person ensemble, I was most intrigued by Rachna Khatau, the wild card of the group whose roles are the most slyly scheming and unpredictable.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of intrigued

Verb

That the Houthis are able to score hits from 500 miles away, despite the Saudi military spending tens of billions of dollars on multi-layered air defense systems, has puzzled experts.

— Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
He was puzzled when, after 2021, the number of children going into foster care dropped, but the state's costs for child welfare were rising.

— Joseph Shapiro, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of puzzled

Adjective

But the man simply stood there with a dazed expression on his face, swaying gently in the living room of their small, cramped flat, like a lone tree in the breeze.

— Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
Laiken Randolph appeared dazed, and possibly on drugs, officers remarked.

— Brittany Wallman, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of dazed

Verb

Beyond being frustrated with the secrecy, locals said they were baffled by the lack of specifics and clarity the stakeholders had about the project, per the records.

— Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2026
And just last month, officials in Millcreek, Utah, were baffled to find an unknown camera installed on city property that neither the city nor police requested.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of baffled

Adjective

Unfortunately, there seems to be a lot of confused thinking about this at campuses across the country.

— Jens Ludwig, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
The long road ahead After being charged with murder on Friday, Francis, dressed in a white Tyvek suit and appearing confused at court, said nothing as she was ordered held without bail for her daughter’s death.

— Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of confused

Verb

Kember, who grew up in a Catholic household, and Pierce, the son of a proselytizer, were fascinated by spirituality.

— Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026
In 2008, passionate surfer Tim Russo purchased the property, renamed it, and set out to organically grow it into a resort full of wonder where serious surfers and travelers fascinated with the surf lifestyle could vacation happily.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of fascinated

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“Bemused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bemused. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of bemused

adjective

verb

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