as in baffling
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1
as in complicating
to make complex or difficult
let's not perplex the issue further with irrelevant concerns
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in puzzling
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
the question perplexed me
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of perplexing
ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026
The oven was equally perplexing.
—Jason Fried, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 13 Nov. 2025
But as the fearsome storm unfolded, perplexing science questions emerged, said Joshua Wadler, an associate scientist at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach who was aboard the flights on Kermit with Hazelton.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 2 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for perplexing
Adjective
The craze is perplexing to parents, but Bennett said the Hornets have embraced it to bring joy to young people.
—ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026
The oven was equally perplexing.
—Jason Fried, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
Even more than the finished show, this eerie, perplexing multi-Gaga spectacle feels like a glimpse into her subconscious.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 13 Nov. 2025
But as the fearsome storm unfolded, perplexing science questions emerged, said Joshua Wadler, an associate scientist at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach who was aboard the flights on Kermit with Hazelton.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 2 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for perplexing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perplexing
Adjective
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This baffling inconsistency has challenged planetary physics and raised doubts about how scientists interpret signals from distant worlds.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Mar. 2026
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That Smith’s work remains little-known is all the more baffling considering the strength and depth of a retrospective now up at Keith de Lellis.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Further complicating the dynamics is Wilson’s prior romance with co-star Ciara Miller, Batula’s close friend.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
31 Mar. 2026
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As many as 20,000 Iranian civilians live on Kharg in ordinary times, complicating invasion planning.—
Nancy A. Youssef,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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What makes this letter particularly puzzling is the open court case that accuses the NFL of racial discrimination.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
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So the absence of any real investment in the interior offensive line this offseason is puzzling.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This lack of strategic continuity is confusing, even for the players.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
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The next few seconds were chaotic and confusing.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Harbaugh has taken a blow torch to the Giants’ embarrassing special teams unit.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
25 Mar. 2026
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Fairchild played the free-wheeling bon vivant Nora Tyler Bing on five episodes of the sitcom classic, unwittingly embarrassing Perry's Chandler Bing to the delight of his pals.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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There aren’t many ways to earn a club’s first win better than bewildering the league’s defending champions at their place.—
Braidon Nourse,
Denver Post,
26 Mar. 2026
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McNutt housed some 700 kids — about one-third of the population of French Lick — and Bird found the campus outside the dormitory walls bewildering.—
Keith O'Brien,
Rolling Stone,
22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In 2021, one year into D’Amaro’s tenure and following COVID shutdowns, Disney did away with FastPass and introduced a confounding and very costly series of pay-to-skip passes, which require timing advanced booking of limited slots in these formerly free-to-enter shorter lines.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
5 Feb. 2026
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The Eagles were a confounding defending champion throughout the regular season.—
Jeff Howe,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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With too much going on, its presentation can become muddled, and there’s a chance different sections of the track won’t come through clearly.—
Mark Knapp,
PC Magazine,
30 Mar. 2026
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The 1988 original was a critical punching bag for its muddled storytelling, despite the pedigree of its songwriters.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Perplexing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perplexing. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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