bafflement

noun

baf·​fle·​ment ˈba-fəl-mənt How to pronounce bafflement (audio)
plural -s
Synonyms of bafflementnext
1
: the action of baffling : the fact of being baffled
their best efforts met with persistent bafflement
2
: the state of being baffled : perplexity, confusion
she couldn't understand the meaning of all this and he gloated over her bafflementAdria Langley

Word History

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bafflement was in 1841

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Cite this Entry

“Bafflement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bafflement. Accessed 19 Dec. 2025.

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