maze

1 of 2

verb

ˈmāz 

mazed; mazing

transitive verb

1

chiefly dialectal : stupefy, daze

2

: bewilder, perplex

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

ˈmāz-ˌlīk 

adjective

Synonyms of maze

Verb

• puzzle
• baffle
• confuse
• bewilder
• perplex

Noun

• labyrinth

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

Noun

But neither is telling parents to go comparison-shop through America’s 529 maze and calling that freedom. — Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

The maze relies on a sprinkler system to water its many plants—so picking low-maintenance trees means no one will need to traverse the maze with a map every day to care for it. — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 July 2026

Located in a pasture that extends from outside her winter house all the way down to her long boxwood allée, the maze is now near completion, with her gardeners and outdoor grounds crew having just planted the last section. — Martha Stewart, 2 July 2026

With their billowing sails, teakwood decks and mazes of ropes and rigging, ships like Eagle draw throngs of visitors hoping to get a glimpse of the past. — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 1 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

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

Phrases Containing maze

• corn maze

Rhymes for maze

• baize
• bays
• blase
• blaze
• braes
• braze
• chaise
• claes
• clays
• craze
• dais
• days

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

ˈmāz 

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