Amuse versus bemuse is a word confusion that is frequently confused.
It’s possible that a person can be bemused when they don’t grasp what’s funny . . . and are not amused. But I don’t see how writers can confuse this reaction.
Just remember that to amuse is to entertain.
To bemuse is to be confused, puzzled . . . and sometimes mildly amused in a fuddled sort of way.
Yep, you’re bemused if you don’t get the joke.
I do like Vocabulary.com‘s example “In Alice in Wonderland, the White Rabbit amuses Alice as he frolics, but then the Cheshire Cat bemuses her when he tells her to go two directions at once”.
Word Confusions . . .
. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noire for you from either end.
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| Amuse | Bemuse |
|---|---|
Amusement Park is under the CC0 license, via PxHere. — One goes to the amusement park to be amused. |
Thoughtful Man by revzack is under the CC0 1.0 license, via Open Clip Art. — He looks bemused. |
| Part of Grammar: | |
| Verb, transitive
Third person present verb: amuses |
Verb, transitive
Third person present verb: bemuses |
Cause (someone) to find something funny
Provide interesting and enjoyable occupation for (someone) To hold the attention of (someone) pleasantly To cause mirth, laughter, or the like To cause (time, leisure, etc.) to pass agreeably [Archaic] To keep in expectation by flattery, pretenses, etc. [Obsolete] To engross
To puzzle
|
Puzzle, confuse, or bewilder (someone)
To preoccupy
To cause to be mildly amused, especially in a detached way |
| Examples: | |
| He made faces to amuse her.
They amused themselves digging through an old encyclopedia. The hotel has planned many activities to amuse its guests. Queen Victoria was known for not being amused. She amused the guests with witty conversation. The comedian amused the audience with a steady stream of jokes. |
He was bemused by what was happening.
He is still bemused by the enigmatic arrival and departure of his illness. He is a decent sort, bemused by the essential strangeness of life, with more questions than answers. Then, before my hungry and bemused family could answer, he turned and vanished into the swirl of tables. Apparently bemused by his critics, he floated above the clamor surrounding the campaign. |
| Derivatives: | |
| Adjective: amusable, amused, unamusable Adverb: amusedly, unamusably Noun: amuse-bouche, amuse-gueule, amusement, amuser |
Adjective: bemused, bemusing Adverb: bemusedly Noun: bemusement |
| History of the Word: | |
| Late 15th century, in the sense delude, deceive, from the Old French amuser meaning entertain, deceive, from a- (expressing causal effect) + muser (stare stupidly).
The current senses date from the mid-17th century. |
Mid-18th century, from be- (as an intensifier) + muse (be absorbed in thought). |
C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!
Satisfy your curiosity about other Word Confusions on its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.
Resources for Amuse versus Bemuse
“amuse / bemuse.” Commonly Confused Words. Vocabulary.com. n.d. Web. 24 Aug 2022. <https://www.vocabulary.com/articles/chooseyourwords/amuse-bemuse/>.
Apple Dictionary.com
Lexico.com: bemuse
Pinterest Photo Credits:
Amuse by Charles Hayne is under the CC BY-SA 2.0 license, via Flickr.
