bemuse

verb

be·​muse bi-ˈmyüz 

bē-

bemused; bemusing; bemuses

transitive verb

1

: to make confused : puzzle, bewilder

2

: to occupy the attention of : distract, absorb

has bemused audiences around the world

3

: to cause to have feelings of wry or tolerant amusement

seems truly bemused that people beyond his circle in Seattle would be interested in his ruminations

—Ruth B. Smith

bemusement

bi-ˈmyüz-mənt 

bē-

noun

Did you know?

In 1735, British poet Alexander Pope lamented, in rhyme, being besieged by "a parson much bemus'd in beer." The cleric in question was apparently one of a horde of would-be poets who plagued Pope with requests that he read their verses. Pope meant that the parson had found his muse—his inspiration—in beer. That use of bemused harks back to a 1705 letter in which Pope wrote of "Poets … irrecoverably Be-mus'd." In both letter and poem, Pope used bemused to allude to being inspired by or devoted to one of the Muses, the Greek sister goddesses of art, music, and literature. The lexicographers who followed him, however, interpreted "bemus'd in beer" as meaning "left confused by beer," and their confusion gave rise to the first modern sense of bemuse above. The newer (and common) use of bemuse to mean “to cause to have feelings of wry or tolerant amusement” is a topic of some dispute, as discussed here.

Did you know?

Are amused and bemused synonyms?

Many people link bemused with amused, believing that the former word carries the meaning “amused, with a touch of something else.” While this was not its original sense, bemused has been used in such a fashion for long enough, and by enough people, that the meaning “having feelings of wry amusement especially from something that is surprising or perplexing" has become established. You may use bemuse in this fashion if you wish, but bear in mind that some people find it objectionable, insisting that bemused and amused are entirely distinct and that bemused properly means “marked by confusion or bewilderment.” It is worth noting that before bemused indicated confusion it had the meaning (especially among poets) “devoted to the Muses.”

Synonyms

• absorb
• busy
• catch up
• engage
• engross
• enthrall
• enthral
• enwrap
• fascinate
• grip
• immerse
• interest
• intrigue
• involve
• occupy

Examples of bemuse in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

But for now, Bo-Katan seems mostly bemused by Mando's faith in his cult. —Lauren Morgan, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2023

The justices appeared at times bemused by the implications of measuring birth against the alternative. —Hartford Courant, 22 Feb. 2023

But Tati’s city is a dreamlike rather than a sinister labyrinth, with nose-bonking doors and beeping panels that bemuse and divide its residents and tourists with amazingly inventive sight gags, until, at last, some are able to—at least partially—tear it down. —R. L. Lipstein, The New Yorker, 26 June 2020

Today, Troll Haven still stands sentry on the Olympic Peninsula — just as Bandy’s Southern California castles continue to amuse and bemuse Burbank residents and workers. —Rachel Schnalzer, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1734, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

bemuse

verb

be·​muse bi-ˈmyüz 

1

: confuse sense 1a

2

: to cause to have feelings of tolerant amusement

bemused by the many rumors