Meaning & use
bamboozle
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Meaning
verbtransitivehumorous
To trick someone by clever words, confusing details, or deliberate misdirection.
Grammar: Takes an object: bamboozle the interviewer. It is usually done to someone, not just done.
Patterns
- bamboozle someone
- bamboozle someone into something
- bamboozle someone out of something
The salesman tried to bamboozle us into paying for repairs we did not need.
Do not let the fine print bamboozle you into signing too quickly.
She bamboozled her brother out of his dessert by telling him it was spicy.
Word forms
| third person singular | bamboozles |
|---|---|
| past tense | bamboozled |
| past participle | bamboozled |
| -ing form | bamboozling |
Common combinations
- bamboozle someone with jargon
- The guide bamboozled tourists with jargon about fees.
- bamboozle someone into doing something
- He bamboozled me into lending him the car.
- easily bamboozled
- A tired customer is easily bamboozled by a confident pitch.
- feel bamboozled
- After the meeting, we all felt bamboozled by the numbers.
Synonyms and how they differ
- deceive
- Neutral and broader; bamboozle suggests playful or fast-talking confusion rather than every kind of lying.
- con
- Stronger and often about money or crime; bamboozle is lighter and can be joking.
- hoodwink
- Old-fashioned; it emphasizes hiding the truth, while bamboozle emphasizes bewildering someone.
- baffle
- Means confuse only; it does not necessarily include an intention to cheat.
Opposites
Word family
- bamboozlement noun
- The state of being confused or tricked; fairly rare.
Commonly confused: bamboozle or baffle? bamboozle or bamboo?
bamboozle vs baffle
Baffle means to puzzle; bamboozle usually adds the idea of being tricked by someone.
bamboozle vs bamboo
Bamboo is a plant; the similar start is spelling only.
Practice
Choose the natural pattern: The clerk tried to bamboozle ___ buying an extra warranty.
Choose one answer.
The set pattern is bamboozle someone into doing something, meaning pressure by trickery toward an action. “Us to” fits persuade, not bamboozle; “for” and “about” do not match the intended cheat-into-action meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bamboozle”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.