baffled

adjective

baf·​fled ˈba-fəld 

1

: extremely confused or puzzled

… his explanation of a piano's key action will leave you more baffled than before.

—Martin Levine

Molecular biologists became even more baffled when they looked at the messenger RNAs: many of the molecules were longer than the DNA from which they had been transcribed.

—John Rennie

In Miss Kate's eyes there was a troubled, baffled look …

—Edna Ferber

We have all heard novelists testify to the fact that, beginning a new book, they are utterly baffled as to how to proceed …

—Donald Barthelme

2

: equipped with a baffle

Ventilation openings are baffled to prevent stray light from reaching the operator's eyes …

—Bausch & Lomb catalog

A baffled fuel cell keeps the weight in place.

—Kevin Falvey

Synonyms of baffled

• perplexed
• bewildered
• embarrassed

Examples of baffled in a Sentence

baffled viewers didn't know what to make of the strange antics of the talk show host

Recent Examples on the Web

What baffled Russell was the difference in straight-line speed. — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 21 July 2026

The cat’s baffled loss takes center stage while the human mourner remains on the sidelines. — Literary Hub, 16 July 2026

The arrests mark a dramatic turn in a case that baffled investigators for more than a decade and left Graham's family searching for answers as her body remained missing. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026

Spotted hyenas long baffled naturalists. — Elizabeth Kolbert, New Yorker, 22 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for baffled

• scaffold