flummox

verb

flum·​mox ˈflə-məks How to pronounce flummox (audio)
-miks
flummoxed; flummoxing; flummoxes

transitive verb

: confuse
He was flummoxed by the legal jargon.
a hapless innocent who had been flummoxed by wily city slickersAndy Logan

Did you know?

No one is completely sure where the word flummox comes from, but Charles Dickens was aware of it and used it in his 1837 novel The Pickwick Papers. It became quite common in both British and American English by the end of the 19th century.

Examples of flummox in a Sentence

an actor who's easily flummoxed by any changes in the script
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
People were not only flummoxed, but fascinated as well. Tj MacIas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2025 And, well, the coach was flummoxed. Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025 Horowitz, understandably flummoxed, pressed further, asking if fans make this request right there on the street. Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 24 Aug. 2025 Arizona right-hander Nabil Crismatt, called up from Triple-A Reno for Sunday’s start, flummoxed Rockies hitters with his 82 mph changeup, generating nine whiffs on 15 swings. Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for flummox

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flummox was in 1836

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Cite this Entry

“Flummox.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flummox. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

flummox

verb
flum·​mox
ˈfləm-əks
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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