perplexing

adjective

per·​plex·​ing pər-ˈplek-siŋ 

: difficult to understand : causing confusion

A perplexing feature of insomnia is that people seem to overestimate their sleep loss.

—Rita L. Atkinson et al.

Chronic acalculous biliary disorders are among the most perplexing diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in medicine.

—Richard M. Gore

A perplexing problem, often encountered by cat owners, is that of a refusal to use the litterbox after using it for years in the past.

—Susan L. Mathews

perplexingly adverb

a perplexingly complex problem

This was all that I could observe of her in the dim light and under the perplexingly strange circumstances of our meeting.

—Wilkie Collins

Examples of perplexing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The sheriff’s office was called, and initially the deaths were deemed suspicious, though the situation seemed more perplexing than criminal. —Joy Williams, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025

In a whirlwind year for the organization, his slump was one of the more perplexing developments. —Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 18 Oct. 2025

Yet the latest season has had a perplexing schedule. —Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025

Over the next three years, Lia would develop a perplexing, debilitating, and persistent set of symptoms. —Eli Cahan, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for perplexing

• annexing
• complexing
• flexing
• sexing
• vexing
• multiplexing