bemuse
[ bih-myooz ]
/ bɪˈmyuz /
verb (used with object), be·mused, be·mus·ing.
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.
usage note for bemuse
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 WORDS FROM bemuse
be·muse·ment, nounWords nearby bemuse
Example sentences from the Web for bemuse
I asked, determined not to allow her to bemuse or escape me with her metaphysical talk and illustrations.
She and Allan |H. Rider HaggardMost of these were of the opiate class, light magazines and light stories intended to bemuse and not to educate the mind.
G. H. Q. |Frank FoxHunger does not necessarily help the understanding; it may bemuse it by passion and resentment.
The Fruits of Victory |Norman Angell
British Dictionary definitions for bemuse
bemuse
/ (bɪˈmjuːz) /
verb
(tr)
to confuse; bewilder