Colloquial Variant guide

bemuse

verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK, US: /bɪˈmjuːz/
  • UK, US: /bəˈmjuːz/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -uːz
  • CMU ARPABET: B IH0 M Y UW1 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To confuse or bewilder.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To be amused, especially sardonically.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: proscribed, sometimes, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To devote to the Muses.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, humorous

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To make drunk; to intoxicate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, slang, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

cause to be confused emotionally

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bewilder, discombobulate, throw

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: upset, discompose, untune, disconcert, discomfit

History

Etymology

From be- + muse. In meaning, influenced by bemaze and later amuse.

Across languages

Translations

29 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: обърквам (obǎrkvam) — to confuse or bewilder
  • Bulgarian: смайвам (smajvam) — to confuse or bewilder
  • Bulgarian: слисвам (slisvam) — to confuse or bewilder
  • Catalan: destarotar — to confuse or bewilder
  • Catalan: desconcertar — to confuse or bewilder
  • Czech: zmást — to confuse or bewilder
  • Czech: poplést — to confuse or bewilder
  • Czech: vyvést z míry — to confuse or bewilder
  • Dutch: verbijsteren — to confuse or bewilder
  • Dutch: verwarren — to confuse or bewilder
  • Dutch: in de war brengen — to confuse or bewilder
  • Finnish: hämmentää — to confuse or bewilder
  • Finnish: häkellyttää — to confuse or bewilder
  • Finnish: saattaa ymmälle — to confuse or bewilder
  • French: déconcerter — to confuse or bewilder
  • French: stupéfier — to confuse or bewilder
  • German: verwirren — to confuse or bewilder
  • German: verblüffen — to confuse or bewilder
  • German: irritieren — to confuse or bewilder
  • German: nachdenklich stimmen — to confuse or bewilder
  • German: verwundern — to confuse or bewilder
  • Italian: confondere — to confuse or bewilder
  • Polish: speszyć — to confuse or bewilder
  • Polish: zdeprymować — to confuse or bewilder
  • Portuguese: confuso — to confuse or bewilder
  • Russian: поража́ть (poražátʹ) — to confuse or bewilder
  • Russian: ошеломлять (ošelomljatʹ) — to confuse or bewilder
  • Russian: смуща́ть (smuščátʹ) — to confuse or bewilder
  • Spanish: desconcertar — to confuse or bewilder