as in confusion
a state of mental uncertainty
his complete bafflement as to the point of the joke was in itself funny
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Recent Examples of bafflement
Internally, the Bulls coaching staff has reached a point of bafflement with the forward.
—
Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
But public criticism, questions and bafflement have surrounded the decision to set out from the huts at Frog Lake in the middle of the season’s fiercest storm.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 19 Feb. 2026
Its inclusion on the album has long been a cause of bafflement among Bowie fans, not least as it was originally recorded for Hunky Dory.
—Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
The Ella McCay trend, originated by a Twitter user named Michael Roberts, began as a tribute born out of simultaneous admiration and bafflement.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025
Just silence and forlorn stares of players stuck in a state of bafflement and disappointment.
—Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 8 Dec. 2025
In a new interview with GQ, the star expressed bafflement over Nicki Minaj‘s targeting her on social media — and sidestepped Kendrick Lamar‘s beef with Drake.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2025
There are black-and-white scenes from what appears to be a cracked Biblical drama featuring a levitating monk and, to the particular bafflement of the producer, a dancing Pulcinella.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
If the book’s prismatic structure and subjective immediacy feel baffling to encounter, that is because bafflement is the point.
—Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
But public criticism, questions and bafflement have surrounded the decision to set out from the huts at Frog Lake in the middle of the season’s fiercest storm.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 19 Feb. 2026
Its inclusion on the album has long been a cause of bafflement among Bowie fans, not least as it was originally recorded for Hunky Dory.
—Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
The Ella McCay trend, originated by a Twitter user named Michael Roberts, began as a tribute born out of simultaneous admiration and bafflement.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025
Just silence and forlorn stares of players stuck in a state of bafflement and disappointment.
—Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 8 Dec. 2025
In a new interview with GQ, the star expressed bafflement over Nicki Minaj‘s targeting her on social media — and sidestepped Kendrick Lamar‘s beef with Drake.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2025
There are black-and-white scenes from what appears to be a cracked Biblical drama featuring a levitating monk and, to the particular bafflement of the producer, a dancing Pulcinella.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
If the book’s prismatic structure and subjective immediacy feel baffling to encounter, that is because bafflement is the point.
—Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bafflement
Noun
-
The vast range of difficulty and rigor in academic assessment adds confusion for both learners and employers.—
Bryan Penprase,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
The Holii Travel Pill Organizer is compact enough to fit in a car compartment or backpack, and securely separates daily doses of medications in order to avoid any confusion on busy travel days.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
The splashing water captured by the camera is abstracted into a nebulous fog that dissolves the profile of a Parisian bridge in the background.—
Erika Landström,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business, and stop.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Her expressions of bewilderment were easy to see.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
-
Not out of cruelty but out of bewilderment.—
Daren Smith,
IndieWire,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
The first weeks were a roller coaster of pleasure and perplexity.—
Tim Parks,
New Yorker,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Oklo exemplifies both the promise and the perplexity associated with the rebirth of nuclear power.—
Bob Woods,
CNBC,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bafflement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bafflement. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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