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?

When it comes to the origins of flummox, etymologists are, well, flummoxed. No one really knows where the word comes from. The first known print use of the verb flummox appeared in Charles Dickens’ novel The Pickwick Papers in the mid-1830s, while the adjective flummoxed appeared italicized a few years earlier in a Dublin newspaper article about laborers striking against employers who oppose their rights: “Lord Cloncurry is actually flummoxed. The people refuse to work for him.” To be flummoxed by something is to be utterly confused by it—that is, to be baffled, puzzled, bewildered, completely unable to understand. Fortunately, a word can be used even if everyone is flummoxed by its etymology, and by the end of the 19th century, flummox had become quite common in both British and American English.

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 12 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

flummox

verb
flum·​mox
ˈfləm-əks
Last Updated: - Updated Did you know?
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