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:
Explanation
If you're bemused, you're muddled or preoccupied. It happens when you're lost in thought, dazed, or overwhelmed (say, on the first day of high school). Find the word "muse" inside bemused and imagine being under the spell of one of the muses of Greek mythology. You're so inspired to write poetry that you can't keep your mind on work or remember how to get home. Or think Wile E. Coyote, Sylvester, or another cartoon character staggering off with a vague smile after getting hit over the head by a frying pan and you'll grasp the meaning of a bemused expression.
Vocabulary lists containing bemused
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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"Of Mice and Men"
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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.
He’s bemused in retrospect by the strange spectacle of a “little white boy in short trousers” frolicking with a Black man old enough to be his father.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026
US actress Zendaya has given an amused and bemused reaction to the widely shared photos that appear to show her wedding to fellow actor Tom Holland.
From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026
He was bemused that he didn’t need a ticket to retrieve his vehicle from the valet at San Vicente Bungalows because, well, he’s Colman Domingo.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026
Dupont reacted fastest, picking the ball up and strolling past the bemused La Rochelle pack to score.
From Barron's • Dec. 28, 2025
Mr. Thirsty stood there with a bemused smile as the detective unlocked the door.
From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer
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.
