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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb beguile differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of beguile are deceive, delude, and mislead. While all these words mean "to lead astray or frustrate usually by underhandedness," beguile stresses the use of charm and persuasion in deceiving.

was beguiled by false promises

When is deceive a more appropriate choice than beguile?

While the synonyms deceive and beguile are close in meaning, deceive implies imposing a false idea or belief that causes ignorance, bewilderment, or helplessness.

tried to deceive me about the cost

When would delude be a good substitute for beguile?

The meanings of delude and beguile largely overlap; however, delude implies deceiving so thoroughly as to obscure the truth.

we were deluded into thinking we were safe

In what contexts can mislead take the place of beguile?

The words mislead and beguile are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mislead implies a leading astray that may or may not be intentional.

I was misled by the confusing sign

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of beguile The expression within some of those moments — the beguiling run through Shakhtar Donetsk, the assist for Jamal Musiala at Werder Bremen, the gorgeous free kick against Bochum down in the Ruhr — describe a player comfortable with the burden of being a Bayern player in the way few are. Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025 This schism becomes her barrier to happiness, discounting and dismissing the clearly beguiling Sam, a handsome charmer with a twinkle in his eye. Jason Bailey, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025 Contemporary takes abound, but vintage sleuthing can turn up some particularly beguiling options. Tom Stubbs, Robb Report, 30 Nov. 2024 Not to be missed, however, is The Green House, a beguiling antique solarium, a perfect garden café for a cup of espresso, hot tea, or freshly baked pastry. Wendy Altschuler, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for beguile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beguile
Verb
  • Laura is particularly fascinated by all things aquatic, paleontology, nanotechnology, and exploring how science influences daily life.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Football content creator Will Powell — better known by his social media pseudonym, Bryan’s Gunn — has always been fascinated by the linguistic quirks and tropes of football.
    James McNicholas, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • More than a dozen state attorneys general also have sued TikTok, alleging last year that the company deceived users about its child safety tools and deployed harmful features to keep children on the platform longer to maximize profits.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2025
  • There is evidence of motivated malicious actors abusing the 'verified account' to deceive users.
    Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • After this went down, one might be tempted to joke that Rodgers was in store for a green room retreat!
    Jim Reineking, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025
  • The first half hour is filled with the weirdly neutral techno jargon of soldiers jabbering code words into their headphones to what I (as a know-nothing) am tempted to call Mission Control.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Numerous observers believe the Bay Area could begin to see an economic lift from the rush into artificial intelligence, a fledgling field that has enticed investors and fueled startup activity.
    George Avalos, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2025
  • And there are plenty of people out there to entice, given that the majority of Americans these days aren’t regular moviegoers.
    William Earl, Variety, 27 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Don't let anyone fool you into abandoning the single most effective social program in our nation's history.
    John T. Harvey, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Best deals of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale Dyson V8 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Don’t be fooled by this vacuum cleaner’s lightweight design.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Single women—more likely, naturally, to be seduced by the devil—were disproportionately executed for witchcraft.
    Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Taking over a century-old garden house hidden within Shanghai’s storied alleys, Samuel Gui Yang softly partitioned the space, seducing the audience yet making every one of them a clandestine voyeur.
    Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • This can also affect your communication abilities, granting you more inspiration and eloquence to enchant others through your writing or speech.
    Kyle Thomas, People.com, 30 Mar. 2025
  • That actress got married on Saturday, March 29 PEOPLE has confirmed, on a secluded coastal estate with acres of enchanting woodlands and an Edwardian castle.
    Shania Russell, EW.com, 30 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The Big Cat turned the tables on all those trolls for April Fool's Day and tricked plenty of them.
    Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
  • For example, Russian operatives reportedly tricked Ukrainian troops into giving access to their Signal accounts.
    Frederick Scholl, The Conversation, 27 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Beguile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beguile. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.

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