as in mystery
something hard to understand or explain
why he chose to sink all of his money into a failing business is a real head-scratcher
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Recent Examples of head-scratcher
That Mater Dei-Servite head-scratcher is one of a few anomalies in the rankings.
—
Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 16 Jan. 2026
Given not only how overmatched his roster is on paper, but the fact that Willard himself called the scheduling of this game a head-scratcher, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff Neiburg, a blowout loss by Villanova would hardly be a shocker.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Figuring out how to get rid of dandruff can be a real head-scratcher.
—Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
The jury’s still out on the first head-scratcher.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for head-scratcher
Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 16 Jan. 2026
Given not only how overmatched his roster is on paper, but the fact that Willard himself called the scheduling of this game a head-scratcher, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff Neiburg, a blowout loss by Villanova would hardly be a shocker.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Figuring out how to get rid of dandruff can be a real head-scratcher.
—Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
The jury’s still out on the first head-scratcher.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for head-scratcher
Recent Examples of Synonyms for head-scratcher
mystery
Noun
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While scientists have long observed this liquid-to-solid transformation, the exact molecular link that converts these fluid droplets into a high-performance final structure has remained a mystery until now.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
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Ward said her mother was fascinated with the mystery of Amelia Earhart, and that fascination turned into countless trips to air shows and museums.—
Kels Dayton,
Hartford Courant,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Head-scratcher.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/head-scratcher. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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