foxing

verb

Definition of foxingnext
present participle of fox
1
as in puzzling
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty she won't be foxed by such telemarketing tricks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in outfoxing
to get the better of through cleverness no confidence man will ever fox me and get my hard-earned money

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 foxing Aged glass can develop dark spots and edge deterioration known as foxing. — Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 14 Aug. 2026 That will require out-foxing Patriots defensive play-caller Zak Kuhr, whose pressure game plans suffocated the Chargers and Texans the past two weeks. — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foxing
  1. puzzling
  2. outfoxing
  3. baffling
  4. deceiving
  5. perplexing
  6. defeating
  7. confusing
  8. outwitting
Verb
  • But what is puzzling is that the country’s leaders are not acting.
    — Oliver Melton, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2026
  • But doing so means obstructing the inner part of the corona, which harbors the most important processes that underpin the puzzling phenomena of the sun’s upper atmosphere.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of puzzling
Verb
  • Both candidates attempted to court voters by outfoxing each other in their support of the then-former president and the race became increasingly negative.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of outfoxing
Verb
  • The latest weakening of criteria is baffling if not unsurprising given the agency’s pitifully weak, unserious leadership.
    — Diana Urban, Hartford Courant, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The sequel, on the other hand, is shaped by baffling decisions from director Susanne Bier and cinematographer Simon Duggan that render the film antiseptic.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of baffling
Verb
  • The first rule of thumb—and a solid piece of advice to live by—is that looks can be deceiving.
    — Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 1 Nov. 2026
  • But looks are deceiving in this case – just like the 3X Plus and 3X before it, the trailer stretches out via three individual telescopic segments that emerge at the push of a button.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of deceiving
Verb
  • Gibson Nash, 21, was charged with first-degree murder after a series of perplexing events eventually led police to his mother’s bloodied body.
    — Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • But there were also perplexing moments that punctured the gravitas of the event (even for an event built around hand-to-hand combat).
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 15 June 2026
Definition of perplexing
Verb
  • The Rams find the end zone late in the second quarter after a sluggish start and don’t look back, defeating the Chargers 24-9 to improve to 4-4 on the season.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The matchup was billed as a rematch of Super Bowl LX, which Seattle won in February by defeating New England 29-10 to claim the franchise’s second Vince Lombardi Trophy.
    — Chantz Martin OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of defeating
Verb
  • The decision to pursue short-term Band-Aid measures for a weak labor market and foreign trade tensions is confusing at first pass.
    — Oliver Melton, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Trump and his officials also offered confusing messages as to why Starshield — which Ukraine uses for drone strikes and air defense — had been throttled.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of confusing
Verb
  • Similar storm-clouds are now gathering around Sánchez, a canny politician known for outwitting his opponents.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 21 June 2026
  • Bob Markle was good at outwitting violators.
    — Dave Duffey, Outdoor Life, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of outwitting

Browse Nearby Words

foxiness
foxing
fox-trot
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Cite this Entry

“Foxing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foxing. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on foxing

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about foxing

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