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 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. deceiving
  3. baffling
  4. defeating
  5. perplexing
  6. outwitting
  7. confusing
  8. outsmarting
Verb
  • That made the league’s scheduling decision especially puzzling.
    — Dan Zaksheske, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • This stingray is currently known from only two drainage systems, the Demerara River and the río Guanare which is… puzzling, to say the least, as these systems are not obviously connected in modern hydrology.
    — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of puzzling
Verb
  • Paul has long accused Fauci of deceiving Americans about the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.
    — Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 29 July 2026
  • All the wig and makeup work put into deceiving their people isn’t needed in the first place.
    — Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of deceiving
Verb
  • Despite some protests about a dog contributing to the game, Buddy — clad in a bright blue jersey and two pairs of basketball kicks — scores baffling basket after baffling basket, leaving the other team shocked.
    — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026
  • While Loathe’s baffling compositional choices may jump out first, the album’s most glaring flaw is its production.
    — Patrick Lyons, Pitchfork, 16 July 2026
Definition of baffling
Verb
  • Instead of overcoming their fatal flaw and defeating their shadow-self, the titular Eternals are reckoning with their relationship to God and the grand arc of human history.
    — EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Oba Femi, who rose to prominence after defeating Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 42 and winning the 2026 King of the Ring, recently concluded his intense rivalry with Lesnar.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of defeating
Verb
  • 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
  • That none of this has ever been clear to Gisèle is perplexing even to her.
    — Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2026
Definition of perplexing
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
Verb
  • Physicians are alarmed, stressing that FDA licensing is crucial for guiding patients, as this decision risks confusing consumers about regulated versus unregulated treatments.
    — Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The Seahawks and Eagles won Super Bowls by confusing teams from multiple alignments.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of confusing
Verb
  • The Fan, the season-long unsub obsessed with one-upping and outsmarting his idol.
    — Joyce Eng, Entertainment Weekly, 23 July 2026
  • Selecting a college major is not an exercise in outsmarting the admissions system.
    — Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Definition of outsmarting

Browse Nearby Words

foxiness
foxing
fox-trot
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foxing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foxing. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on foxing

Nglish: Translation of foxing for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about foxing

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