as in perplexed
faced with difficulty or uncertainty about what to say, think, or do
baffled viewers didn't know what to make of the strange antics of the talk show host
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in frustrated
to prevent from achieving a goal
the language barrier baffled everyone and discouraged us from attempting another teleconference
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in puzzled
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
she was baffled by the wording of the clause in the insurance policy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of baffled
Elizabeth Kolbert, New Yorker, 22 June 2026
Everyone looks pretty baffled at what Mwepu Ilunga has done, not least his team-mates.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 17 June 2026
The admission prompted baffled comments from a veteran federal judge.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 27 May 2026
The Sooners’ uncanny postseason successes leave many baffled.
—Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
The Young Man had never been more confused, conflicted, baffled.
—Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
For 166 years, documents found with this sailor’s remains baffled researchers — until genetics provided an answer.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
Glaser, no doubt like many viewers, seemed a little baffled when the Swift songs dried up, and Idol had to pad out the rest of the episode with songs themed around California.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 28 Apr. 2026
Not outraged but baffled, curious Kaho tries to find out his hidden message.
—ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
Jermont Terry, CBS News, 23 June 2026
Known as the Galactic Center Excess, a spherical gamma-ray glow extending out for thousands of light-years from the core of our galaxy, this high-energy light has baffled researchers for over a decade.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 21 June 2026
They were equally baffled by the aggressive flavorlessness of a Michelob Ultra.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 13 June 2026
New York Knicks radio broadcaster Tyler Murray was baffled Wednesday night.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
Social media is thick with ex-players baffled that their years in uniform count for so little with modern decision-makers.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Now, as like most North Americans, I was baffled by Brexit and opposed it.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026
This new dating trend is leaving people baffled and heartbroken.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 9 June 2026
But he was baffled as to why people are now incensed over pickleball courts.
—Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 3 June 2026
Adjective
Spotted hyenas long baffled naturalists.
—Elizabeth Kolbert, New Yorker, 22 June 2026
Everyone looks pretty baffled at what Mwepu Ilunga has done, not least his team-mates.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 17 June 2026
The admission prompted baffled comments from a veteran federal judge.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 27 May 2026
The Sooners’ uncanny postseason successes leave many baffled.
—Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
The Young Man had never been more confused, conflicted, baffled.
—Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
For 166 years, documents found with this sailor’s remains baffled researchers — until genetics provided an answer.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
Glaser, no doubt like many viewers, seemed a little baffled when the Swift songs dried up, and Idol had to pad out the rest of the episode with songs themed around California.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 28 Apr. 2026
Not outraged but baffled, curious Kaho tries to find out his hidden message.
—ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
His mother, Ahmani Hicks, describes him as a kid who loved sports, and she's baffled as to why her son was targeted.
—Jermont Terry, CBS News, 23 June 2026
Known as the Galactic Center Excess, a spherical gamma-ray glow extending out for thousands of light-years from the core of our galaxy, this high-energy light has baffled researchers for over a decade.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 21 June 2026
They were equally baffled by the aggressive flavorlessness of a Michelob Ultra.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 13 June 2026
New York Knicks radio broadcaster Tyler Murray was baffled Wednesday night.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
Social media is thick with ex-players baffled that their years in uniform count for so little with modern decision-makers.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Now, as like most North Americans, I was baffled by Brexit and opposed it.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026
This new dating trend is leaving people baffled and heartbroken.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 9 June 2026
But he was baffled as to why people are now incensed over pickleball courts.
—Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 3 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for baffled
Adjective
-
That was intentional, as a smiling Caballero admitted to enjoying the moment after the warning left him perplexed and agitated.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
15 June 2026
-
Employees at Alliance for a Better Utah were equally perplexed.—
Geoff Brumfiel,
NPR,
10 June 2026
Verb
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The Atlas Lions also frustrated their Scottish foes with their physicality, taking down Christie, McTominay and others with a series of hard challenges that did not draw whistles.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
20 June 2026
-
Dalton Rushing, hitless and visibly frustrated most of the game, delivered a run-scoring single in the ninth inning to help lift the Dodgers to a 6-5 walk-off win.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
Verb
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County officials said they are puzzled by the cost increase in the face of falling ridership for Access Lynx, which provides door-to-door transportation for disabled and low-income riders countywide.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 June 2026
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But after feeding the information into a computer model, the team was puzzled.—
Jeanna Bryner,
Scientific American,
18 June 2026
Adjective
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At the risk of sounding less like a columnist and more like a bewildered bystander … what the heck happened?—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
14 June 2026
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Urged by a call from Hugo to destroy her phone and flee Kansas City fast, before WARDEX can get to her, Margaret also hits the road, accompanied initially by a bewildered Jackson.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
9 June 2026
Verb
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Withington noted that international sanctions have hampered Moscow’s ability to access the technology needed to develop new systems capable of engaging these Ukrainian attacks.—
Gianluca Mezzofiore,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
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Russia’s determination to maintain a tight grip on AI development has hampered its own efforts to advance the technology.—
Nikita Ostrovsky,
Time,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
It's called cognitive empathy, not to be confused with emotional empathy.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
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So The Listeners — not to be confused with 2022’s The Listener starring Tessa Thompson and you in a voice role — is just now reaching the States.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
20 June 2026
Adjective
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Harry was both ‘excited’ and ‘embarrassed’ to bring Meghan there.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
20 June 2026
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An embarrassed Penny sprints away, setting off a chain of events that intertwine their lives.—
Sarah Kate Ellis,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Baffled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/baffled. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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