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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Then came the World Cup, and for a month, a curious if somewhat bemused country sampled the world’s game up close. — Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026 Sweetest children, Granny said, sounding bemused. — Audrey Schmidt, PEOPLE, 4 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

That bewildered shake of the head after Meyer's pitch in that video is not a rare occurrence for Raleigh this year.

— Eno Sarris, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
On Douban, a popular Chinese movie-review platform, viewers piled on with mocking and bewildered comments.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of bewildered

Verb

When some of his friends became smokejumpers, he was intrigued.

— M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Yet some European philosophers were intrigued by the monism of Vedanta philosophy, whereas Evangelical Christians saw the same monism as a foundation for proselytizing Christian monotheism.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of intrigued

Verb

We have been puzzled, even exasperated at times, by the Heat’s level of patience with its roster over the past two seasons, particularly last year.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026
However, the largest drop in June occurred among prime-age workers, leaving several economists puzzled and surprised.

— , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of puzzled

Verb

But what really interested us with this movie was trying to understand the humanity and searching for and exploring the love and the loyalty to characters to have a dialogue with an audience and not do it for the sake of ego or shock.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 9 Aug. 2026
Camerlenghi says Gradara Castle has interested him since his childhood.

— Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2026

Definition of interested

Verb

She is baffled by the way her friends Moe and Fumina rail against their parents, especially when Yuko is always holding back at home, forever walking on eggshells.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026
Al Roker was baffled to come face to face with his doppelgänger on the Today show plaza.

— Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of baffled

Adjective

Also, if the switch from side by side to one-front/one-back happened instantaneously, your brain would get confused about how to interpret the images delivered from each eye, since the setup would be quite different from what you were used to.

— Abigail Witmer, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
Critics of the move have been vocal, and many residents were left confused.

— Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of confused

Verb

Cronenberg is fascinated by a body that is taken apart and reimagined.

— Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
However, rather than the courageous grand duchesses who fought for the freedom of their people far away, the author was fascinated by the suffragette movement of the 1910s.

— Giorgia Olivieri, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of fascinated

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Style

“Bemused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bemused. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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verb

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