1
as in frustrating
to prevent from achieving a goal
the language barrier baffled everyone and discouraged us from attempting another teleconference
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in puzzling
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
she was baffled by the wording of the clause in the insurance policy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in perplexing
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in thwarting
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of baffling
Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
The valuations are more baffling for some smaller companies.
—Hank Tucker, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for baffling
Verb
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
The valuations are more baffling for some smaller companies.
—Hank Tucker, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Noun
That the Red Wings needed to attach a second-round pick to offload his money last summer was baffling at the time and looks even worse now.
—Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for baffling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for baffling
Verb
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Colorado opened its 2025 season with a puzzling 27-20 loss to Georgia Tech on Friday night.—
Shane Shoemaker,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Aug. 2025
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Tyler, the Creator has turned 2025’s Camp Flog Gnaw announcement into a puzzling quest.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Chronic pain — that is more perplexing, with its biological purpose, if there even is one, proving elusive.—
Dr. Sanjay Gupta,
CNN Money,
2 Sep. 2025
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The Longs lived by a perplexing tangle of unspoken rules anchored by the admonishment to never invite the neighbors over.—
Kristen Kidd,
Denver Post,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Since Ruben Amorim’s arrival at Manchester United 10 months ago, the team’s struggles to score goals have been hampering them.—
Ahmed Walid,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
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Nurse Chapel concludes that sleep, friends, and romantic entanglements have been hampering her productivity.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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And aren’t our real-life romantic complications bewildering enough?—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
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Its ginormous investments in higher-value, tech-heavy sectors from smartphones to autos to semiconductors to biotechnology are disrupting the global landscape at bewildering speed.—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Choosing a new kitchen counter can be confusing.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
4 Sep. 2025
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But for as long as social media is a part of the childhood experience, parents and children will be forced to navigate this confusing world of misinformation and unrealistic messaging.—
Ashleigh N. DeLuca,
Parents,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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As the Supreme Court increasingly shows frustration with the overreach of lower court judges, the justices could be motivated to take up cases more quickly on matters where lower courts are ignoring their emergency docket orders, such as with the firing of independent agency heads.—
Jack Birle,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Sep. 2025
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Advocates expressed frustration, emphasizing the need for comfortable and safe air travel for all passengers.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Tuesday will go down as one of Boston’s most confounding losses of the season, a 4-3 defeat in 11 innings to the Baltimore Orioles in which the club went 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Some European leaders have suggested going as far as to send peacekeeping troops to enforce a post-war deterrence in Ukraine, while Russia wants a broader set of agreements that offer Moscow a greater say in the regional security landscape.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
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No direct confrontation and no indirect confrontation means no deterrence.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Baffling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/baffling. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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