baffle 1 of 2

baffle

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb baffle differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of baffle are balk, foil, frustrate, and thwart. While all these words mean "to check or defeat another's plan or block achievement of a goal," baffle implies frustration by confusing or puzzling.

baffled by the maze of rules and regulations

When would balk be a good substitute for baffle?

While in some cases nearly identical to baffle, balk suggests the interposing of obstacles or hindrances.

officials felt that legal restrictions had balked their efforts to control crime

When can foil be used instead of baffle?

Although the words foil and baffle have much in common, foil implies checking or defeating so as to discourage further effort.

foiled by her parents, he stopped trying to see her

Where would frustrate be a reasonable alternative to baffle?

The synonyms frustrate and baffle are sometimes interchangeable, but frustrate implies making vain or ineffectual all efforts however vigorous or persistent.

frustrated attempts at government reform

When is thwart a more appropriate choice than baffle?

The words thwart and baffle are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, thwart suggests frustration or checking by crossing or opposing.

the army thwarted his attempt at a coup

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of baffle
Verb
The best way to achieve this is by attaching your feeder to a pole with a baffle. Simon Hill, Wired News, 11 July 2025 There was debris on a plastic baffle plate inside the ice machine. Camila Pedrosa, Sacramento Bee, 21 Mar. 2025
Noun
Take the quiz here … DUGOUT SECRETS – Mysterious wooden canoe found after Hurricane Ian still baffles experts three years later. FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025 Chastain, meanwhile, is the disruptor who stomped onto the scene in 2022 and surprised everyone — slamming contenders on the track, throwing punches off of it, riding walls into glory that baffled his competitors but simultaneously captured the collective race fan’s imagination. Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for baffle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for baffle
Verb
  • If the White House grows distracted, or frustrated by slow progress, fighting could easily resume.
    Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Appearing frustrated, Pitzer grabbed the child’s finger and used it to smear icing onto their face, according to the sheriff’s office.
    Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Illston appeared frustrated and perplexed by the government's unwillingness to engage on the merits during the hearing.
    Andrea Hsu, NPR, 15 Oct. 2025
  • The 18 runs plundered off one over was the most Jasprit Bumrah had ever conceded in Tests, leaving the bowler perplexed as he was replaced.
    Sam Dalling, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The fact that Christian didn’t pull the lines and fenders at night makes for an actual problem in the morning, which Christian doesn’t even realize until much later, after the guests have left.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Full fenders keep detritus and damp stuff at bay, and Tektro hydraulic brakes providing stopping power.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The sense of arbitrariness that had previously bewildered and frustrated me was drowned out by excitement and sheer aesthetic pleasure.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Cody Meissner, a pediatric professor at Dartmouth's Geisel School of Medicine who has served on ACIP in the past—arguably the most qualified of Kennedy's new lineup—was bewildered at why the committee was rehashing the issue addressed years ago.
    Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Visitors also discovered a Zen Room with agarwood scents, cushions and bell chimes, offering a tranquil pause before returning to the bustle of Paris.
    Footwear News, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Meanwhile, at UMaine, administrators spent the spring and summer more or less searching the couch cushions for quarters to keep various research projects afloat.
    Emma Green, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • But too often, this instinct to chase conflict distorts reality and confuses the public.
    Nancy Gibbs, Time, 17 Oct. 2025
  • This view confuses structure with behavior.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • My car has a 26-inch light bar on the bumper … even my RV has a 52-inch Nilight light bar mounted to it.
    Joe Salas October 09, New Atlas, 9 Oct. 2025
  • Ben Rhodes, the two-time series champion, crashed into the wall on Lap 3 with heavy contact as his back bumper got into the tire barrier, bringing out the first caution — and only natural one until the final laps of regulation — of the race.
    Shane Connuck October 3, Charlotte Observer, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The statues, which were carved and placed on the South Pacific's Easter Island between the 12th and 17th centuries, have puzzled travelers since the first European contact was made there in 1722.
    Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2025
  • From tug-of-war and indoor fetch to puzzle toys and hide-and-seek, these games offer physical and cognitive engagement without stepping out the door.
    Jenna Prestininzi, USA Today, 15 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Baffle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/baffle. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

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