as in perplexing
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as in thwarting
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in frustrating
to prevent from achieving a goal
the language barrier baffled everyone and discouraged us from attempting another teleconference
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of baffling
David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
Coming off a baffling loss at a Jazz team trying to stack losses on Monday, the Warriors returned to Chase Center on Tuesday and lost 130-124 in overtime to a horrendous Bulls outfit with only eight active players.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 22 Dec. 2025
From financial wipeouts to baffling misreads of beloved source material, some of Hollywood’s most notorious flops began as video games.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for baffling
Adjective
Even so, Pritzker’s unwillingness to push for construction in Bronzeville, on the site of the former Michael Reese Hospital, remains a baffling mystery.
—David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
Coming off a baffling loss at a Jazz team trying to stack losses on Monday, the Warriors returned to Chase Center on Tuesday and lost 130-124 in overtime to a horrendous Bulls outfit with only eight active players.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
That said, the good outweighs the baffling.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
The pilot of a private jet reportedly made an eerie discovery while flying thousands of feet over Rhode Island, marking the latest in unexplained encounters baffling both experts and civilians alike.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 22 Dec. 2025
From financial wipeouts to baffling misreads of beloved source material, some of Hollywood’s most notorious flops began as video games.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for baffling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for baffling
Adjective
-
The judging is vexing and perplexing.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Radziwill’s absence has been somewhat perplexing.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The council keeps losing court battles on issues ranging from its Voter ID law to its efforts to censor library books to its thwarting of state housing laws.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
-
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
-
This lack of strategic continuity is confusing, even for the players.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The next few seconds were chaotic and confusing.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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New transparency tools aim to help travelers understand disruptions and reduce frustration during delays and cancellations.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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And while the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners approved covering the overrun, most of which will come from the county's unrestricted fund balance, frustration is clearly building.—
Ubah Ali,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The council chambers have only one entrance, hampering security and accessibility needs, and the council desk itself is not ADA-compliant.—
Elliot Mann,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
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Some lawmakers think the staff reductions are hampering farmers’ ability to access programs.—
Patricia Kime,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 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
Cite this Entry
“Baffling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/baffling. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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