as in puzzled
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
we were mystified by the sudden changes in the tax code
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Recent Examples of mystified
This was an enormous question that mystified the ancient world.
—
Big Think, 30 Oct. 2025
The source of excess gamma-ray radiation, known as the Galactic Center GeV Excess (GCE), has mystified scientists for over a decade.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
Alexander Paul Robertson Lewis allegedly dispensed the substance at West Florence High School in Florence, South Carolina, over a nearly monthlong span, leaving school officials mystified as to the origin of the foul odor, the Florence County Sheriff's office said in a statement.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2025
Swartz was mystified by the package.
—Bjorn Dihle, Outdoor Life, 4 Sep. 2025
This moth’s extraordinary navigational abilities have mystified scientists for many decades.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Even some of his former team-mates will admit being unsure, mystified even, about what exactly went wrong after an 18-year-old Kaminsky made his first-team debut in a Nottingham Forest side featuring Roy Keane, Teddy Sheringham and Nigel Clough.
—Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
That’s left some members of Congress mystified about why their funding is in jeopardy.
—Cassandra Jaramillo, ProPublica, 8 Aug. 2025
Big Think, 30 Oct. 2025
The source of excess gamma-ray radiation, known as the Galactic Center GeV Excess (GCE), has mystified scientists for over a decade.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
Alexander Paul Robertson Lewis allegedly dispensed the substance at West Florence High School in Florence, South Carolina, over a nearly monthlong span, leaving school officials mystified as to the origin of the foul odor, the Florence County Sheriff's office said in a statement.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2025
Swartz was mystified by the package.
—Bjorn Dihle, Outdoor Life, 4 Sep. 2025
This moth’s extraordinary navigational abilities have mystified scientists for many decades.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Even some of his former team-mates will admit being unsure, mystified even, about what exactly went wrong after an 18-year-old Kaminsky made his first-team debut in a Nottingham Forest side featuring Roy Keane, Teddy Sheringham and Nigel Clough.
—Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
That’s left some members of Congress mystified about why their funding is in jeopardy.
—Cassandra Jaramillo, ProPublica, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mystified
Verb
-
Her mysterious symptoms puzzled doctors, at least one of whom suggested the pain was psychosomatic.—
Sophie Dodd,
PEOPLE,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Some younger viewers may have been initially puzzled by the mashup, but fans of a certain age, or of a certain show-tune leaning, got it from the very first bar, or might have even dared to anticipate it when Erivo and Grande sat down on stools, side by side.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Played for comic relief, he is baffled by this son of his who attends college and, more perplexing yet, is suddenly obsessed with Italy and cycling.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Physicists were baffled as to why this material would suddenly stop conducting current once the tellurium content reached approximately 30 percent—a change that its basic chemical composition could not explain.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Coaches and talent evaluators, both inside the Raiders’ facility and around the league, have been perplexed by the lack of creativity and production.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Country fans were perplexed as to why Johnson, revered for his commitment to traditional country, had gone mostly dark in the studio during that time.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
And Freeman felt that, bewildered by the defense after Purdue and incensed by the kicking game against Boston College.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Gelles avoids lionizing Patagonia’s leader, describing Chouinard’s mercurial leadership style that often bewildered his staff at Patagonia.—
Maya Silver,
Outside,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Farmers’ Almanac will be gone for good after its final 2026 edition, not to be confused with The Old Farmer's Almanac, a separate publication.—
Alex Perry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Blue Origin also launches New Shepard from Texas The New Glenn spacecraft is not to be confused with Blue Origin's much smaller New Shepard rocket that the company launches from West Texas on brief trips taking paying passengers high above Earth's atmosphere.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mystified.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mystified. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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