1
as in tricking
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 baffling
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 bamboozling
And now, a class action has been filed against Spotify for allegedly bamboozling consumers.
—
Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2025
Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bamboozling
Verb
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To remove the element of tricking the umpire into thinking balls are strikes?—
Johnny Flores Jr,
New York Times,
30 Mar. 2026
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The texts are aimed at tricking drivers into sharing personal and financial information.—
CBS Chicago Team,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This inversion explains a host of baffling political and cultural phenomena of late.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
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The steel pipe's unexpected growth spurt was reported to police early Wednesday by a pedestrian who saw broken pieces of asphalt falling from the cylinder, baffling people passing by and causing traffic congestion.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But Baio says Kassotis has been fooling people for years.—
Erin Moriarty,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
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Indeed, depth would only get in the way of the plot, which is primarily concerned with fooling you and fooling you again.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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There aren’t many ways to earn a club’s first win better than bewildering the league’s defending champions at their place.—
Braidon Nourse,
Denver Post,
26 Mar. 2026
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McNutt housed some 700 kids — about one-third of the population of French Lick — and Bird found the campus outside the dormitory walls bewildering.—
Keith O'Brien,
Rolling Stone,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The specifications on the Neo can be deceiving.—
Dwight Silverman,
Houston Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
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Keep cool, as temperatures may be deceiving National Weather Service meteorologist Katherine Berislavich said overnight lows typically drop into the upper 60s this time of year but can rise quickly by morning.—
Jose R. Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As if that wasn’t confusing enough, not all Christians agree on what day of the calendar that specific Sunday is.—
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
4 Apr. 2026
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However, following the path of Artemis II may be confusing as the astronauts, mission control and others use confusing jargon and phrases.—
ByMary Kekatos,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Colorado’s puzzling 8-6 loss to woebegone Vancouver this past Wednesday was the Avs’ sixth game dressed as the Quebec Nordiques, and they’re now dropped three straight games while going retro — including two straight in regulation.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
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Given its history, Larkin might seem a puzzling choice to partner with a state agency charged with protecting elders who cannot care for themselves.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That none of this has ever been clear to Gisèle is perplexing even to her.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
20 Feb. 2026
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While initially perplexing to the Messers and other anglers, some now believe this was part of Phillips’ long con.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bamboozling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bamboozling. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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