beguiled

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparableliterary

   Strongly attracted or charmed by someone or something, often so much that your judgment is clouded.

   Grammar: Used after be or before a noun, and often followed by by: beguiled by his smile.

   Patterns

   • be beguiled by something
   • a beguiled audience

   The audience sat beguiled by the storyteller's soft voice.

   She was beguiled by the island's quiet beauty.

   Beguiled tourists bought souvenirs they did not need.

2. 2adjectivecomparableliterary

   Tricked or led into doing something by clever flattery or a false charm.

   Grammar: Often followed by into: beguiled into agreeing.

   Patterns

   • be beguiled into something

   He was beguiled into signing a contract he never read.

   The villagers, beguiled by promises of gold, handed over their savings.

Common combinations

beguiled by

The children were beguiled by the magician's tricks.

beguiled into

She felt beguiled into trusting a stranger.

utterly beguiled

The critics were utterly beguiled by the film.

easily beguiled

Easily beguiled shoppers fell for the flashy ad.

Synonyms and how they differ

enchanted

Enchanted suggests pure delight or magic, while beguiled often hints at being fooled.

charmed

Charmed is warmer and more neutral, with no sense of trickery.

deceived

Deceived is plainly negative and does not include the pleasant attraction in beguiled.

captivated

Captivated emphasizes holding your attention completely, without implying a trick.

Opposites

Word family

beguile verb

to charm or trick someone

beguiling adjective

charming in a slightly deceptive way

beguilingly adverb

in a charming, tempting way

beguilement noun

the state of being charmed or tricked

Commonly confused: beguiled or bewildered?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “beguiled”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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