Bemused — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /bi-ˈmyüzd/ be·mused

Meaning & Definition of Bemused

Bemused (adjective)

  1. marked by confusion or bewilderment, dazed
  2. lost in thought or reverie
  3. having or showing feelings of wry amusement especially from something that is surprising or perplexing

Bemused (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. suffering from mental confusion

    "new federal regulations that the easily bemused should make no attempt to read and understand"

    similar: addle, addled, addlepated, bedeviled, befogged, befuddled, bewildered, bushed (chiefly Australian), confounded, confused, dazed, distracted, dizzy, dopey, fogged, mixed-up, muddleheaded, muzzy, pixilated, punch-drunk, punchy, raddled, shell-shocked, silly, slaphappy, spaced-out, spacey, stunned, stupefied, zonked, zonked-out, at sea, out of it
    related: senseless, unconscious
    opposite: clearheaded
    near: alert, conscious

Bemused (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: absorbed, busied, caught up, engaged, engrossed, enthralled, enwrapped, fascinated, gripped, immersed, interested, intrigued, involved, occupied, caught one's eye
    related: allured, attracted, beguiled, bewitched, captivated, charmed, enchanted, obsessed, hypnotized, mesmerized, distracted, preoccupied, hogged, monopolized
    near: bored, jaded, palled, tired, wearied

  2. to throw into a state of mental uncertainty

    "the stage mishap momentarily bemused the actress"

    similar: addled, baffled, bamboozled, beat, befogged, befuddled, bewildered, buffaloed, confounded, confused, discombobulated, disoriented, flummoxed, foxed, fuddled, got, graveled, mazed, muddied, muddled, mystified, perplexed, posed, puzzled, vexed, blew one's mind, went to one's head
    related: stuck, stumped, weirded out, abashed, discomfited, disconcerted, discountenanced, embarrassed, fazed, flustered, mortified, nonplussed, rattled, agitated, bothered, chagrined, discomforted, discomposed, dismayed, disquieted, distressed, disturbed, perturbed, stunned, unhinged, unsettled, upset, beguiled, cozened, deceived, deluded, duped, fooled, gulled, hoaxed, hoodwinked, humbugged, misguided, misled, snowed, strung along, took in, tricked
    near: assured, reassured, satisfied, enlightened, informed

Related Entry: Bemuse (verb)

Bemuse is a different word from Bemused. The synonyms below are for bemuse, not for bemused.

  1. 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"

    similar: absorb, busy, catch up, engage, engross, enthrall, enwrap, fascinate, grip, immerse, interest, intrigue, involve, occupy, catch one's eye
    related: allure, attract, beguile, bewitch, captivate, charm, enchant, obsess, hypnotize, mesmerize, distract, preoccupy, hog, monopolize
    near: bore, jade, pall, tire, weary

  2. to throw into a state of mental uncertainty

    "the stage mishap momentarily bemused the actress"

    similar: addle, baffle, bamboozle, beat, befog, befuddle, bewilder, buffalo, confound, confuse, discombobulate, disorient, flummox, fox, fuddle, get, gravel, maze, muddle, muddy, mystify, perplex, pose, puzzle, vex, blow one's mind, go to one's head
    related: stick, stump, weird out, abash, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, mortify, nonplus, rattle, agitate, bother, chagrin, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distress, disturb, perturb, stun, unhinge, unsettle, upset, beguile, cozen, deceive, delude, dupe, fool, gull, hoax, hoodwink, humbug, misguide, mislead, snow, string along, take in, trick
    near: assure, reassure, satisfy, enlighten, inform

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Bemused

The most common words with a similar meaning to Bemused:

Chiefly Australian: bushed
addle, addled, addlepated, bedeviled, befogged, befuddled, bewildered, confounded, confused, dazed, distracted, dizzy, dopey, fogged, mixed-up, muddleheaded, muzzy, pixilated, punch-drunk, punchy, raddled, shell-shocked, silly, slaphappy, spaced-out, spacey, stunned, stupefied, zonked, zonked-out, at sea, out of it, absorbed, busied, caught up, engaged, engrossed, enthralled, enwrapped, fascinated

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Bemused

Words with the opposite meaning of Bemused:

clearheaded

Related Words for Bemused

senseless, unconscious, allured, attracted, beguiled, bewitched, captivated, charmed, enchanted, obsessed, hypnotized, mesmerized, preoccupied, hogged, monopolized, stuck, stumped, weirded out, abashed, discomfited, disconcerted, discountenanced, embarrassed, fazed, flustered, mortified, nonplussed, rattled, agitated, bothered

Near Antonyms of Bemused

alert, conscious, bored, jaded, palled, tired, wearied, assured, reassured, satisfied, enlightened, informed

Word Forms of Bemused

Derived words: bemusedly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Bemused

First known use: 1734

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Bemused

Frequently Asked Questions about Bemused

What does "Bemused" mean?

"Bemused" means marked by confusion or bewilderment, dazed. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: marked by confusion or bewilderment, dazed. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Bemused"?

Other words for "Bemused" include addle, addled, addlepated, bedeviled, befogged, befuddled, bewildered and bushed. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Bemused" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Bemused"?

There are 125 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Bemused". Common alternatives include addle, addled, addlepated, bedeviled, befogged, befuddled, bewildered, bushed, confounded and confused.

What is the opposite of "Bemused"?

Antonyms of "Bemused" include clearheaded. Near antonyms include alert, conscious, bored and jaded.

How do you use "Bemused" in a sentence?

Examples of "Bemused" in a sentence: "new federal regulations that the easily bemused should make no attempt to read and understand"; "a public that seemed more bemused by the shenanigans of celebrities than by a war being waged half a world away"; "the stage mishap momentarily bemused the actress".

Is "Bemused" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Bemused" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Bemused" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Bemused" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Bemused"?

"Bemused" is pronounced /bi-ˈmyüzd/ and divided into syllables as be·mused.