baffling

adjective

baf·​fling ˈba-f(ə-)liŋ 

: extremely confusing or difficult to understand

a baffling decision

found the directions utterly baffling

bafflingly adverb

a bafflingly complex explanation

Examples of baffling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Tracking the sky to such depths, such resolution and for such a long time practically guarantees that a bevy of weird and baffling phenomena will emerge from the LSST data. — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 24 July 2026

The right-hander threw 90 pitches, mixing a blazing fastball with a baffling knuckle-curve. — ABC News, 22 July 2026

There are plenty of reasons to be suspicious of the FDA’s baffling reversal on Sunday. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 22 July 2026

But, a day later, in a move many who served in law enforcement viewed as baffling, the warrant appeared to have been suddenly unsealed while the ongoing investigation into the incident was still underway. — Josh Campbell, CNN Money, 19 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1783, in the meaning defined above