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
Denver’s late fourth-quarter play-call was the most obvious head-scratcher of any decision against the Titans, as Nix dropped back and fired off an incomplete go-ball to Marvin Mims on a fourth-and-eight with a minute left.
—
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 10 Sep. 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
The artistic choice of featuring Depp was the sole head-scratcher of the evening — but McCartney’s loyalty to the Pirates of the Caribbean star though his various legal and reputational travails appears to be as solid as Norwegian wood.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for head-scratcher
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 10 Sep. 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
The artistic choice of featuring Depp was the sole head-scratcher of the evening — but McCartney’s loyalty to the Pirates of the Caribbean star though his various legal and reputational travails appears to be as solid as Norwegian wood.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for head-scratcher
Recent Examples of Synonyms for head-scratcher
mystery
Noun
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In the leadup to its debut, the Apple TV/Sony Pictures Television show has been shrouded in secrecy — a decision that lends itself supremely well to a mystery-box sci-fi thriller that is equal parts philosophical conundrum and blood-chilling horror.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
8 Nov. 2025
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When the day of the follow-up scan finally arrived, the mystery was solved—not triplets, but twins.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Head-scratcher.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/head-scratcher. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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