perplexing

adjective

per·​plex·​ing pər-ˈplek-siŋ 

: difficult to understand : causing confusion

A perplexing feature of insomnia is that people seem to overestimate their sleep loss.

—Rita L. Atkinson et al.

Chronic acalculous biliary disorders are among the most perplexing diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in medicine.

—Richard M. Gore

A perplexing problem, often encountered by cat owners, is that of a refusal to use the litterbox after using it for years in the past.

—Susan L. Mathews

perplexingly adverb

a perplexingly complex problem

This was all that I could observe of her in the dim light and under the perplexingly strange circumstances of our meeting.

—Wilkie Collins

Examples of perplexing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The sentencing capped an extraordinary investigation that solved one of New York’s most perplexing mysteries. — Philip Marcelo, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026

The charming little burg is plagued by a perplexing dead body problem. — Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026

The shape of his struggles is at least a little perplexing. — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 14 June 2026

In their last two losses, the Valkyries have struggled against athletic players like Las Vegas’ A’ja Wilson and Minnesota’s Natasha Howard, which makes Amihere’s lack of playing time perplexing. — Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 8 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for perplexing

• annexing
• complexing
• flexing
• sexing
• vexing
• multiplexing