head-scratcher
noun
head-scratch·er
ˈhed-ˌskra-chər 
plural head-scratchers
informal
: something that is confusing, mysterious, or hard to understand
We love college football for nothing if not the belief—hope even—that at any moment the unexpected could happen. Young as it is, this season has already provided its share of jaw-droppers and head-scratchers.—
Holly Anderson
Holly Anderson
Synonyms
Examples of head-scratcher in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That, Bochy conceded, was something of a head-scratcher.
—Shawn McFarland, Dallas News, 17 Sep. 2023
The results ranged from no-brainers to utter head-scratchers.
—Bahar Anooshahr, The Arizona Republic, 7 Sep. 2023
Evil Does Not Exist The Bottom Line Even the head-scratcher of an ending stays with you.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Sep. 2023
That can leave it feeling at times like a premise in search of the objects to suit it, with the occasional head-scratcher wedged in.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Aug. 2023
For some of the testers, the Helios 3 Blackout was a bit of a head-scratcher.
—Ryan Chelius, Field & Stream, 3 Aug. 2023
Co-stars Jason Segal and Jessica Williams both received nominations, which makes this snub even more of a head-scratcher.
—Joey Morona, cleveland, 12 July 2023
The Nuggets’ one significant agreement was a head-scratcher.
—oregonlive, 4 July 2023
Scheduling it on a holiday weekend and blocking off access to the lakefront was also a head-scratcher to some.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2023
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Shawn McFarland, Dallas News, 17 Sep. 2023
The results ranged from no-brainers to utter head-scratchers.
—Bahar Anooshahr, The Arizona Republic, 7 Sep. 2023
Evil Does Not Exist The Bottom Line Even the head-scratcher of an ending stays with you.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Sep. 2023
That can leave it feeling at times like a premise in search of the objects to suit it, with the occasional head-scratcher wedged in.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Aug. 2023
For some of the testers, the Helios 3 Blackout was a bit of a head-scratcher.
—Ryan Chelius, Field & Stream, 3 Aug. 2023
Co-stars Jason Segal and Jessica Williams both received nominations, which makes this snub even more of a head-scratcher.
—Joey Morona, cleveland, 12 July 2023
The Nuggets’ one significant agreement was a head-scratcher.
—oregonlive, 4 July 2023
Scheduling it on a holiday weekend and blocking off access to the lakefront was also a head-scratcher to some.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'head-scratcher.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1902, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near head-scratcher
Cite this Entry
“Head-scratcher.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/head-scratcher. Accessed 25 Sep. 2023.
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