beguile

[bih-gahyl]

verb (used with object)

beguiled, beguiling 

1. to influence by trickery, flattery, etc.; mislead; delude.

   Synonyms: cheat, deceive

2. to take away from by cheating or deceiving (usually followed byof ).

   to be beguiled of money.

3. to charm or divert.

   a multitude of attractions to beguile the tourist.

   Synonyms: entertain, amuse

4. to pass (time) pleasantly.

   beguiling the long afternoon with a good book.

beguile

/ bɪˈɡaɪl /

verb

1. to charm; fascinate

2. to delude; influence by slyness

3. to deprive (someone) of something by trickery; cheat (someone) of

4. to pass pleasantly; while away

Other Word Forms

• beguilement noun
• beguiler noun
• unbeguiled adjective
• unbeguiling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of beguile¹

First recorded in 1175–1225, beguile is from the Middle English word bigilen. See be-, guile

Example Sentences

Lang beguiled with common chords that no longer sounded common, with standard rhythms that intertwined, went on and off the beat, creating arrhythmia delight.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Strong, who won an Olivier Award for his performance in Ivo van Hove’s revival of Arthur Miller’s “A View From the Bridge,” exposes the boyish vulnerability within the sophisticated politician in his sympathetically beguiling portrayal.

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Smith agrees and his version of Bunny is more beguiling and dangerous, and his appeal makes his downfall harder to dismiss.

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Yet the pudgy former late-night sidekick is beguiling viewers on the 34th season of “Dancing with the Stars.”

Read more on Salon

Her engaging voice is populated by a large cast of beguiling characters, settings are enriched with vivid details, all of it grounded by a compelling story line.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• amuse 
• engross 
• entertain 
• entice 
• rizz up www.thesaurus.com
• seduce 
• tickle 

When To Use

What does beguile mean?

Beguile means to mislead through trickery or flattery, or to deceive someone in order to swindle them out of something.Beguile can also mean to charm in a good way—you can be beguiled by an interesting person or a book that really captures your imagination, for example. Someone or something that’s charming in such a way can be described as beguiling.All senses of the word can imply a sense of magic or enchantment. There are several similar verbs that often have magical feel, such as charm, enchant, bewitch, enrapture, and enthrall.Example: He beguiled his victims with a charm that left them unable to see the deception that was taking place.