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Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. v. Informal To take in by elaborate methods of deceit; hoodwink. See Synonyms at deceive.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. To hoax; deceive; trick; impose upon.
  2. To perplex; mystify.
  3. To use trickery; practise cheating.

Wiktionary

  1. v. To con, defraud, trick, to make a fool of, to humbug or impose on someone.

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. v. To deceive by trickery; to cajole by confusing the senses; to hoax; to mystify; to humbug.

WordNet 3.0

  1. v. conceal one's true motives from especially by elaborately feigning good intentions so as to gain an end

Etymologies

  1. Origin unknown.

Examples

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Lists

These user-created lists contain the word ‘bamboozle’.

Comments

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  • artbizness I love this word - it's quite popular on the Indian subcontinent apparently. Sep 18, 2008

  • yarb "Look here, friend," said I, "if you have anything important to tell us, out with it; but if you are only trying to bamboozle us, you are mistaken in your game..."

    - Melville, Moby-Dick, ch. 19 Jul 23, 2008

  • uselessness Any word that starts with bam is alright in my book. Reminds me of the Flintstones' kid, Bamm-Bamm.

    Hmm... perhaps an idea for another list? Anyone? After the -tory mess I sure as heck ain't touching it. Feb 23, 2007

  • lilacs524 Makes me think of Friends - Joey is hosting a gameshow by this name... "Sorry, you've been... BAMBOOZLED." Feb 23, 2007

  • sionnach to confuse a panda Feb 20, 2007

‘bamboozle’ has been looked up 2896 times, loved by 11 people, added to 78 lists, commented on 5 times, and has a Scrabble score of 24.