Everyday · Often misused · Emotions
Bemused: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Bemused adjective. Puzzled or bewildered, often in a slightly dazed way.
How to say it
bih-MYOOZD/bɪˈmjuːzd/
2 syllables, stressed on the second (MYOOZD).
Bemused in a sentence
The tourists stood bemused in front of the ticket machine.
She gave a bemused look when her son announced he was taking up the bagpipes.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- bewildered
- puzzled
- baffled
- perplexed
Careful
Bemused traditionally means puzzled, not amused. A newer sense, 'wryly entertained', is spreading and some dictionaries now list it, but it can leave readers unsure which you mean.
Where bemused comes from
From be-, thoroughly, and muse, to ponder.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
She gave a _____ look when her son announced he was taking up the bagpipes.
- penultimate
- bemused
- viable
Show the answer
bemused: She gave a bemused look when her son announced he was taking up the bagpipes.