perplexity

noun

per·plex·i·ty pər-ˈplek-sə-tē

plural perplexities

Synonyms of perplexity next

: the state of being perplexed : bewilderment

: something that perplexes

: entanglement

Examples of perplexity in a Sentence

There was a look of perplexity on his face. He stared at her in perplexity. We will never solve all of the perplexities of life.

Recent Examples on the Web His story is one of numerous stories within the Black community that contribute to the intricacy and perplexity of Black family history and genealogy. —

Shelby Stewart, Essence, 21 Oct. 2023 Jambi’s face registers disappointment; Pee-wee’s, mere perplexity. —

Bruce Handy, The New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2023 The industry has long voiced perplexity over Netflix’s org chart. —

Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Mar. 2023 But the current mobilization of NBA multimillionaires reflects how race and class are intertwined for Black people in a way that is difficult for non-Black people to understand or imagine—and this perplexity at times hamstrings the left’s ability to build multiracial class solidarity. —

G'ra Asim, The New Republic, 29 Aug. 2020 This perplexity may explain why the Torah tells us that the Lord spoke to Moses immediately after the death of Aaron’s two sons (Leviticus 16:1), which teaches that, despite the suffering of sufferings, the horror of untimely ghastly deaths, dialogue continues. —

Rabbi Avi Weiss, Sun Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2023 So if O’Dowd is maybe a hair exaggerated in his bumbling perplexity, Dennis’ quieter, sadder performance reins him in, with Amara offering the perfect blend of those sensibilities. —

Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Mar. 2023 Arbus captured expressions of exuberance, delight in companionship, parental tenderness, self-love, piercing intelligence, ironic fatigue, suavity, bathos, aggression, perplexity and various expressions of curiosity about (or boredom with) the process of having one’s photograph taken. —

Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 26 Sep. 2022 Nothing, or nonbeing, belongs to that category of concepts—like being, space, and consciousness—that seem self-evident and self-explanatory to most people most of the time, but that for philosophy have been objects of deepest perplexity and millennia-long dispute. —

The New York Review of Books, 6 July 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'perplexity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.