bemused
Americanadjective
-
bewildered or confused.
a bemused expression on his face.
-
lost in thought; preoccupied.
-
mildly amused, especially in a detached way.
adjective
Commonly Confused
See bemuse.
Other Word Forms
- bemusedly adverb
- unbemused adjective
Etymology
Origin of bemused
Compare meaning
How does bemused compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
I tried leaning on it, hand on hip, and felt myself transformed from a geriatric sourpuss into a bemused observer of the human cavalcade.
A bemused Miss Mortimer opened her office door to find the Incorrigibles taking mock bows and curtsies before an imaginary audience, as if they had just concluded a successful opening night on the West End.
From Literature
It was popularised by young US influencers like Pink Cardigan this summer, who amassed millions of likes by staring, tongue out, at bemused customers through shop and diner windows.
From BBC
An artist sneaked an AI-generated print on to a gallery wall before bemused visitors alerted museum staff.
From BBC
Body-cam footage released by the Parma Heights Police Department shows one bemused officer describing how the gourd just “took off” as he tried to grab it.
From Salon
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.
