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
Relevance
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
Elias Pettersson, the forward Pettersson will look to bounce back from a mystifying stretch of mediocre hockey (at least when compared to his own lofty standard) that has persisted for 20 months now, dating back to the 2024 NHL All-Star break.
—
Thomas Drance, New York Times, 1 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
Hermit is singular in the show, finding himself at a crossroads between the human characters intent on science and profit and the synthetic characters who mystify and trouble him.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2025
Swartz was mystified by the package.
—Bjorn Dihle, Outdoor Life, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mystify
Thomas Drance, New York Times, 1 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
Hermit is singular in the show, finding himself at a crossroads between the human characters intent on science and profit and the synthetic characters who mystify and trouble him.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2025
Swartz was mystified by the package.
—Bjorn Dihle, Outdoor Life, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mystify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mystify
Verb
-
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
-
Lauren Freeman, his cousin, told Fox News Digital earlier this month that a reference to orthopedic hardware in his neck had perplexed the family.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Her daughter was confused, and eventually asked Nasser for an explanation as to what had been said.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
-
At her spring show, Marie-Adam Leenaerdt brought back the style, but her shiny spandex stocking version ensures no one confuses the look for child’s play.—
Laia Garcia-Furtado,
Vogue,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Nandi is experiencing severe insomnia, tremors and psychosis, and her quickly deteriorating condition bewilders the emergency room staff.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
21 Oct. 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
-
Until finally, he is baffled by the very mystery of life, love, and death.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
-
One morning, members of the Fort Greely missile defense base spot an ICBM of unknown origin on a suborbital trajectory heading straight for Chicago, baffling the country’s top intelligence and defense teams who only have 18 minutes to respond before impact.—
Jake Kring-Schreifels,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The panic around him, frankly, has been puzzling.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
1 Nov. 2025
-
While Tesla's Mad Max Mode isn't designed to be outright dangerous, its reintroduction following its original 2018 release is puzzling because of scrutiny on the brand's true semi-autonomous driving capabilities.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
After allowing a first-inning run, Gausman retired 17 straight Los Angeles Dodgers hitters, befuddling one of the most talented lineups in the history of the sport.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
-
OpenAI appeared befuddled at the bad reception and promised to make changes.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mystify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mystify. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share