bemuse
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to bewilder or confuse.
-
to preoccupy; engross.
-
to cause to be mildly amused, especially in a detached way.
Apparently bemused by his critics, he floated above the clamor surrounding the campaign.
verb
Commonly Confused
The verb bemuse (usually as the adjective bemused ) is similar in sound to amuse , and has in fact taken on the meaning "to cause to be mildly amused." Many usage experts and traditionalists consider this a misuse of bemuse , pointing out that its proper meaning is “to bewilder or confuse.” However, the history and use of bemuse has shown that its meaning is often ambiguous. It's often the case that one's feelings are a combination of bewilderment and amusement: Their customs bemuse most Americans. Even when it clearly means "to bewilder or confuse," bemuse usually retains a lighthearted tone: one would not typically say: I was bemused by his motive for the murder.
Other Word Forms
- bemusement noun
- bemusing adjective
Etymology
Origin of bemuse
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She stumbled over several words and spoke about everything from the price of coffee in Italy to iguanas in the United States, leaving her co-hosts in the studio bemused.
From Barron's
It was three minutes until kick-off and the Carabao Cup holders were desperate to get going as a bemused Kieran Trippier looked around and wondered where his counterparts from Manchester City were.
From BBC
Meloni herself left a bemused comment on Instagram next to her supposed likeness, saying: "No, decidedly I do not resemble an angel."
From Barron's
She looked at me for a second, bemused, then leaned a shoulder toward me to hand him over.
From Literature
We can't help but feel slightly bemused, however, that one other film in particular missed out.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
