mystify

verb

mys·​ti·​fy ˈmi-stə-ˌfī How to pronounce mystify (audio)
mystified; mystifying

transitive verb

1
: to perplex the mind of : bewilder
2
: to make mysterious or obscure
mystify an interpretation of a prophecy
mystifier noun
mystifyingly adverb

Examples of mystify in a Sentence

The cause of the disease mystified doctors for many years. The magician has been mystifying his audiences for years with his amazing tricks.
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.
Barkley has been a mystifying chess piece for the Eagles, winners of seven straight. Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 27 Nov. 2024 Servais has been a loyal lieutenant for years to Jerry Dipoto, the president of baseball operations, and they’ve been mystified by the continued underperformance of the lineup. Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic, 23 Aug. 2024 Its particle/wave title alludes to the often mystifying duality of subatomic reality, which drove major scientific discovery for three centuries, from Isaac Newton to Albert Einstein. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024 This mystifying season encourages you to explore closeness and transformation in your relationships, personally and professionally. Valerie Mesa, People.com, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for mystify 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French mystifier "to hoodwink, dupe," from Greek mýstēs "person initiated (into a religious cult)" + French -ifier -ify — more at mystic entry 1

Note: French mystifier was used by 18th-century literati in the context of elaborate practical jokes in which some pseudo-magical procedure would be performed on the subject of the joke as a sort of mock initiation. Such a joke is described by the playwright Charles-Simon Favart (1710-92) in a letter of June 24, 1760, apparently the earliest known occurrence of the verb: one Poinsinet is persuaded that the application of a magic ointment has made him invisible and he then becomes the butt of various jests. According to Favart, Poinsinet was dubbed le mystifié (presumably, "one made an initiate") as a result of the jests, which he refers to collectively as la mystification. (See Mémoires et correspondances littéraires, dramatiques et anecdotiques de C.S. Favart, tome 1, Paris, 1808, p. 50-52.) The meaning of the English word has been influenced by mystery entry 1, mystical, etc.

First Known Use

1814, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mystify was in 1814

Dictionary Entries Near mystify

Cite this Entry

“Mystify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mystify. Accessed 7 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

mystify

verb
mys·​ti·​fy ˈmis-tə-ˌfī How to pronounce mystify (audio)
mystified; mystifying
: to confuse thoroughly the understanding of : perplex
mystified by his behavior
mystification
ˌmis-tə-fə-ˈkā-shən
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on mystify

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