bedazzle

verb

be·​daz·​zle bi-ˈda-zəl 

bē-

bedazzled; bedazzling; bedazzles

transitive verb

1

: to impress forcefully : enchant, fascinate

She dressed to kill, glittering with jewels in wondrous costumes to bedazzle her subjects.

—Johanna McGeary

In the first half of the century, English estate gardeners created the bedding system, a technique for displaying exotics in seasonally changing vignettes designed to bedazzle onlookers, much like modern-day department store windows.

—Mary Forsell

2

: to embellish by or as if by the use of a rhinestone setting machine : to decorate colorfully or elaborately especially with shiny embellishments

Abbie looked glamorous in her picture as she wore a baby blue satin dance costume, which was bedazzled with mirrored sequins and crystals.

—Charlotte Dean

Sparkles from a TikTok filter bedazzle the footage.

—Kyle Chayka

3

: to confuse by or as if by a strong light : dazzle

Either the sudden gleams of light flashing over the obscure field bedazzled Goodman Brown, or he recognized a score of the church members of Salem village famous for their especial sanctity.

—Nathaniel Hawthorne

The British press, glumly conditioned to watching U.S. boxers flatten Britain's best, crowed with delight. Bragged the Daily Mirror: "[Randolph] Turpin became world champion without any of the hokum that Americans have used to bedazzle and bamboozle their opponents before the fight."

—Time Magazine

bedazzlement

bi-ˈda-zəl-mənt 

bē-

noun

plural bedazzlements

Synonyms

• arrest
• catch up
• enchant
• enthrall
• enthral
• fascinate
• grip
• hypnotize
• mesmerize
• spellbind

Examples of bedazzle in a Sentence

fans bedazzled by movie stars

don't let their promises of immense riches bedazzle you

Recent Examples on the Web

That signature bedazzled cup—filled to the brim with Pumpkin Spice Latte, of course. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2024

Megan's nails were also an ode to Starfire, with a translucent purple base shaped into sharp stiletto points and bedazzled with rhinestone-and-ruby decals on the center of each nail to mimic the jeweled medallions on the collar and waistline of her lavender bodysuit. —Kara Nesvig, Allure, 30 Oct. 2024

The panel was sponsored by Smirnoff ICE and saw fans get their hands on an exclusive Smirnoff bedazzled water tumbler during a giveaway right before the conversation. —James Dinh, Billboard, 24 Oct. 2024

Hilton and Richie’s Sidekicks seemed to change out every so often, as exemplified by the different colorful bedazzling each new iteration was decked out with. —Sara Belcher, People.com, 16 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Kids Definition

bedazzle

verb

be·​daz·​zle bi-ˈdaz-əl 

: dazzle sense 1

bedazzlement

-mənt 

noun