as in perplexing
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
as in thwarting
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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
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
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 baffling
Harman Dayal, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
The baffling discovery was made near sunset on New Year’s Day, about an 8-mile drive northeast from Salisbury.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 2 Jan. 2026
Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Jake Kring-Schreifels, Time, 27 Oct. 2025
But there were strengths here, too, none more than England’s impervious Lazarus complex, that baffling inability to know when one is in a state of emergency.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for baffling
Adjective
Just weeks later, Vancouver made the baffling, short-sighted decision to keep Pius Suter, Brock Boeser, and Derek Forbort rather than sell them at the trade deadline.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
The baffling discovery was made near sunset on New Year’s Day, about an 8-mile drive northeast from Salisbury.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 2 Jan. 2026
Noun
That said, the good outweighs the baffling.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
One morning, members of the Fort Greely missile defense base spot an ICBM of unknown origin on a suborbital trajectory heading straight for Chicago, baffling the country’s top intelligence and defense teams who only have 18 minutes to respond before impact.
—Jake Kring-Schreifels, Time, 27 Oct. 2025
But there were strengths here, too, none more than England’s impervious Lazarus complex, that baffling inability to know when one is in a state of emergency.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for baffling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for baffling
Adjective
-
Hippocrates bases his explanation of epilepsy, that most perplexing of illnesses, on observation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
That makes the decision to pull back on that ice time in the second period and again in overtime all the more perplexing.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Mack and the Chargers’ defense pressured quarterbacks Jalen Hurts of the Eagles and Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, frustrating them and keeping them out of their comfort zones.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
20 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
This Upper Paleolithic burial even became famous, though puzzling to researchers, because the unusual skeletal remains were even disfigured.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Jan. 2026
-
But in recent years, Betelgeuse has thrown astronomers a few puzzling curveballs that have required serious detective work to solve.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
As an avalanche and dead bodies ratchet up the suspense, Zach must lean on his mother’s wisdom to fight for his life while deciphering a confusing undercurrent of danger, violence and betrayal among the survivors.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Yeah, this is pretty confusing on the surface.—
Jesse Newell,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Republican ends Minnesota governor bid over immigration enforcement Chris Madel, a Republican, ended his campaign for Minnesota governor after less than two months, citing frustration with the party and the way federal officials have carried out immigration operations in the state.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Now, nearly in February, frustration and isolation are growing for Rowland and fellow residents.—
Ashley Sharp,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The wintry blast, after hampering malls and stores Sunday, is making travel challenging Monday with roads still presenting treacherous conditions, coated by a mixture of frozen precipitation.—
Brian Womack,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Elon Musk warned the biggest issue hampering AI advancement in the United States is a problem Chinese competitors don’t have.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And aren’t our real-life romantic complications bewildering enough?—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
-
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
-
The Eagles were a confounding defending champion throughout the regular season.—
Jeff Howe,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
-
What is the most confounding and terrible, however, is Gretchen’s assertion that Slade, the anti-Viagra, doesn’t get involved with the women on his own accord, but only engages because the women always talk about him.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Baffling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/baffling. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
