perplexed

adjective

per·​plexed pər-ˈplekst How to pronounce perplexed (audio)
1
: filled with uncertainty : puzzled
2
: full of difficulty

Example Sentences

He gave her a perplexed look. The explanation left me thoroughly perplexed.
Recent Examples on the Web New Insight on a North American Fairy Lantern Among the mysteries of Thismia, one species, Thismia americana, has a puzzling distribution pattern that has long perplexed botanists—but the new discovery appears to reveal some clues. Melissa Breyer, Treehugger, 27 Feb. 2023 Words alone cannot express my perplexed admiration for this legislative piece of legerdemain. Robert G. Eccles, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2023 When asked how live rounds could have made their way onto the Rust set, Fox remained perplexed. Chris Lee, Vulture, 30 Nov. 2021 First-time homeowners as well as seasoned gardeners, including those who embrace native plants, can become perplexed and overwhelmed. Jennifer Rude Klett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 16 Sep. 2021 While casually applauding next to her seatmate Chris Messina, Garner suddenly stopped, her facial expression going from neutral to totally perplexed. Jackie Frere, Redbook, 5 Mar. 2018 The Verge’s Jay Peters, who spent the day toying with Netflix’s new tier, reported that shows and movies displayed an inconsistent number of ads that left him a bit perplexed. Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2022 But while the study has shown that numbers can quantify feelings, researchers are still a bit perplexed as to why estimates of seemingly subjective feelings can be such good predictors of future actions. Sara Novak, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2022 Carvel, a bit perplexed, was fine with that but asked why. Andrew Mahoney, BostonGlobe.com, 30 June 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'perplexed.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of perplexed was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near perplexed

Cite this Entry

“Perplexed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perplexed. Accessed 23 Mar. 2023.

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