1
as in tricked
to cause to believe what is untrue
bamboozled by con men into buying worthless land in the desert
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in baffled
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
I'm completely bamboozled by the latest changes in the tax code
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bamboozled
Lenders are more easily bamboozled by fake spreadsheets than by fake factories.
—
Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 11 Nov. 2025
Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 11 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bamboozled
Verb
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That's where people get tricked.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Jan. 2026
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Accountancy has seen several cheating scandals in recent years, with the Big Four firms hit with multimillion-dollar fines after staff tricked internal exams, but the sector is far from alone.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Later novels routinely took inspiration from family members or former or current lovers; the 1980 novel that baffled Frank Kermode is a dreamlike fable about a man guiltily trying to have an extramarital affair.—
Christopher Tayler,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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Instead, Chan's team taught Liu how to juggle, which baffled her.—
Daysia Tolentino,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In other words, don’t be fooled.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
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Don’t be fooled by the small bowl either.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The show is Finding Her Edge, a new ice skating drama that should not be confused with Spinning Out, another Netflix ice skating drama that was cancelled after one season.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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Judicial warrants should not be confused with administrative warrants, which are signed by immigration officers.—
Wyatte Grantham-Philips,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Challengers should give Marylanders the option to choose a new direction and remove the need to confront the painful reality that they were deceived.—
Torrey Snow,
Baltimore Sun,
14 Jan. 2026
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Trump told people that Rupert deceived him.—
Gabriel Sherman,
Vanity Fair,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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For decades, this has puzzled physicists and engineers alike.—
Tejasri Gururaj,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
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Juarez was overwhelmed and a bit puzzled by some of the responses.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But unlike his Sophoclean namesake, Orestes is bewildered by this escalation and refuses.—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
The Atlantic,
5 Jan. 2026
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In April, the president was among those bewildered by his fall.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
27 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Gargantuan boulders, twisted spiky trees, and vibrant sunset colors form an arid landscape that has perplexed and inspired creative titans like Jim Morrison and Gram Parsons for years.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
14 Jan. 2026
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Anyone who abandoned this art would be at risk of experiencing even their own culture as a stranger would, perplexed by the symbols and signs swirling about them.—
Jason Blakely,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bamboozled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bamboozled. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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