bemuse
/bɪˈmjuːz
/verb [with object] (usually as adjective bemused)
Puzzle, confuse, or bewilder: her bemused expression he was bemused by what was happening...
- In cities such as Prague, expatriates were glued to televisions in bars, bemused locals looking on.
- He is still bemused by the enigmatic arrival and departure of his illness.
- Morris was contacted, and became increasingly bemused by the investigation.
Synonyms
bewildered, confused, puzzled, perplexed, baffled, stumped, mystified, stupefied, nonplussed, muddled, befuddled, fuddled, dumbfounded, at sea, at a loss, at sixes and sevens, thrown (off balance), taken aback, disoriented, disconcerted, discomposed, troubled, discomfited, unnerved, shaken, shaken up, dazed, stunned, astonished, astounded
informal flummoxed, bamboozled, discombobulated, clueless, fazed, floored, beaten
Canadian & Australian/New Zealand informal bushed
archaic wildered, mazed, distracted
Derivatives
bemusedly
- But he laughed anyway, and then bemusedly muttered ‘Oh, this is funny.’
- ‘But you are the carrier company,’ I said bemusedly.
- The parents in turn grabbed some food, had some nice Australian white wine, German beer, good conversation and bemusedly watched their kids race around.
Origin
Mid 18th century: from be- (as an intensifier) + muse2.