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mystify

verb

ˈmi-stə-ˌfī How to pronounce mystify (audio)
Definition of mystifynext
as in to perplex
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty we were mystified by the sudden changes in the tax code

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 mystify Fears of serial killer The unsolved murders at the time mystified Kansas City residents and fueled fears of a serial killer targeting people who used the area’s trail system. — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026 For years, Cole was mystified by a small, beanlike object with stripes which lurked in the background of certain drawings. — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026 The first feature-length Oz adaptation is a mystifying silent epic starring Dorothy Dwan as Dorothy and Oliver Hardy (later of Laurel and Hardy fame) as the Tin Woodsman. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Aug. 2026 Most mystifying - at least to Washington - is the constant unravelling of Iran-US deals. — Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for mystify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mystify
  1. perplex
  2. confuse
  3. bewilder
  4. baffle
  5. puzzle
  6. befuddle
Verb
  • While Peta protests at fashion week are nothing new, many were perplexed by the idea that wool should be removed from the supply chain.
    — Sophie Lou Wilson, Vogue, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Nearly everyone outside Michigan was perplexed, or downright angry, about the outcome.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of perplex
Verb
  • But the decision left many in the football community confused, with an online petition started by alumnus Tim Hanrahan garnering more than 3,000 signatures.
    — Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • This is where things get messy, and many folks — oligarchs in particular — become invested in keeping the general voter confused.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of confuse
Verb
  • Dan emerges as Primetime’s unlikely heart, bewildered by the dark world he’s wandered into and left to negotiate his ambitions with the high stakes of the job.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026
  • That’s a common sentiment from a touring superstar, but there’s a sense that Kahan really might be as happily bewildered as the rest of us about how songs this personal and cloudy came to captivate even sunny California.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of bewilder
Verb
  • Her home isn’t in the highway’s path, but she was still baffled by council’s decision.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Their admirable determination makes Diamantis’ flight from the United States baffling for us and humiliating for them.
    — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of baffle
Verb
  • While there were reasons for this morning's move higher, this afternoon's bond selloff is puzzling.
    — Diana Olick, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026
  • These early proponents of quantum biology sought explanations for the puzzling properties of life at the classical scale in the counterintuitive laws of physics at the quantum scale.
    — Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of puzzle
Verb
  • Those are decreasing in frequency, and the situation has befuddled the USTA.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Abbas Kiarostami did that in Taste of Cherry, which befuddled certain audiences but then also won the Palme d’Or in 1997.
    — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of befuddle

Browse Nearby Words

mystifies
mystify
mystifying
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Cite this Entry

“Mystify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mystify. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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