maze

1 of 2

verb

mazed; mazing

transitive verb

1
chiefly dialectal : stupefy, daze
2

maze

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a confusing intricate network of passages
b
: something confusingly elaborate or complicated
a maze of regulations
2
chiefly dialectal : a state of bewilderment
mazelike adjective

Examples of maze in a Sentence

Verb I'm completely mazed by the multitude of plans for health insurance. Noun The experiment measured the time it took for a mouse to find its way through a maze to get its reward of cheese. The school is a maze of classrooms. a maze of rules and regulations
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
There's a toy piano, a mini bead maze, several kinds of spinning toys and more. Jessica Hartshorn, Good Housekeeping, 15 Mar. 2023 Once back in character, Nyong’o attempted blending into the Horror Nights maze to scare unsuspecting guests. Nick Romano, EW.com, 30 Oct. 2019 Check out a teaser above for the Us attraction, which will elicit shrieks alongside the parks’ first-ever Ghostbusters maze and another turn for Stranger Things. Mary Sollosi, EW.com, 7 Aug. 2019
Noun
Each profession carries a distinct path through the maze of tax law and financial planning, offering its own challenges and rewards. Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2024 While the rat slept, researchers recorded its brain activity again and found the same neural patterns—as if the brain were rehearsing the path through the maze to commit it to memory. Ingrid Wickelgren, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2024 Cinematographer Juan Pablo Ramírez’s fluid tracking shots as Estela winds her way through the maze of corridors are mesmerizing. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Feb. 2024 Chatbots and virtual assistants, equipped with the ability to understand and process human language, now guide applicants through the maze of mortgage applications, answering questions, and providing personalized advice 24/7. Neil Sahota, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024 On this Thursday afternoon, Ms. Carryl returned the sword to its proper place, brushed the dust off her long, blue skirt, and walked through the maze of stacks. Chelsia Rose Marcius Lanna Apisukh, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2024 Navigating the maze to reach audiences remains challenging for advertisers in a siloed media landscape. Amazon Ads, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 In one scene, an immigrant who is denied a visa vanishes into thin air; Alejandro’s own journey through the system is rendered as an infinite, architectural maze. Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024 All of us suffer because politicians have turned income tax into a manipulative maze. John Stossel, Orange County Register, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'maze.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of maze was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near maze

Cite this Entry

“Maze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maze. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

maze

noun
ˈmāz
1
: a confusing complicated network of passages
2
: something complicated or elaborate
a confusing maze of regulations

Medical Definition

maze

noun
: a path complicated by at least one blind alley and used in learning experiments and in intelligence tests

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