as in baffled
faced with difficulty or uncertainty about what to say, think, or do
the convoluted instructions for calibrating a high-definition television will leave many consumers utterly perplexed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in complicated
to make complex or difficult
let's not perplex the issue further with irrelevant concerns
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in puzzled
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
the question perplexed me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of perplexed
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
4 June 2026
For Bogaerts, Severino is the one who leaves him perplexed, the one who has him asking why this guy, of all guys, owns him.
—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
ABC News,
27 May 2026
As Season 3 of Euphoria continues to stir up some controversy, one of the show’s stars is perplexed by Cassie’s (Sydney Sweeney) OnlyFans storyline.
—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for perplexed
Adjective
How a prehistoric society managed to scoot the boulder so far without complex tools or transportation methods has perplexed researchers for years.
—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
4 June 2026
For Bogaerts, Severino is the one who leaves him perplexed, the one who has him asking why this guy, of all guys, owns him.
—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
Verb
Democrats have been particularly perplexed given the state's top-two primary system, which places all candidates on a single ballot regardless of party.
—
ABC News,
27 May 2026
As Season 3 of Euphoria continues to stir up some controversy, one of the show’s stars is perplexed by Cassie’s (Sydney Sweeney) OnlyFans storyline.
—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for perplexed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perplexed
Adjective
-
Spotted hyenas long baffled naturalists.
-
Everyone looks pretty baffled at what Mwepu Ilunga has done, not least his team-mates.
Verb
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Robinson’s value is complicated, as the elite rim protector and offensive rebounder has a history of ankle surgeries, and he’s been played off of the court in the postseason due to his free-throw-shooting deficiencies.
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Why Employees Still Struggle With Open Enrollment Benefits language is inherently complicated, and most employees aren't insurance experts.
Verb
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Pochettino seemed puzzled by the downcast tone of his post-match press conference.
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Astronomers are puzzled that such a glaring inconsistency could have gone unnoticed in existing data, such as the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), which provides our earliest snapshot of the universe.
Adjective
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Fido was fine, if a little bewildered, and in February 1973, the board lifted its book bans.
-
At the risk of sounding less like a columnist and more like a bewildered bystander … what the heck happened?
Verb
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At one point, the narrator, embarrassed by his own act of cruelty, gives a sobbing woman all his money and then leaves her alone in a hotel room.
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The Chicago White Sox, a team many left for dead at the start of the year, embarrassed the Kansas City Royals Friday night, 22-1.
Verb
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Narcissism should never be confused with the healthy form of philautia, a unique Greek philosophy of self-love.
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One workshop is a Mindful Archery class, not to be confused with her other course Meditative Archery, which involves Jungian journaling; and there’s a one-on-one archery session with spiritual guidance.
Adjective
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Dudamel never looks nonplussed.
-
Brith stares, dazed, nonplussed.
Cite this Entry
“Perplexed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perplexed. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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