MYSTIFY Synonyms: 75 Similar and Opposite Words

mystify

verb

ˈmi-stə-ˌfī

Definition of mystify

as in to perplex

to throw into a state of mental uncertainty we were mystified by the sudden changes in the tax code

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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

Verb

At Telluride, Fielder, who had initially planned to stay behind the scenes, admitted he was still perplexed by the couple’s openness.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
They were perplexed at first, flummoxed, but pleasant, and unfortunately for them, already long gone from the airport.

— Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of perplex

Verb

For months, Republicans have suspected that the second Dan Sullivan’s Senate bid was designed to confuse voters as part of a broader scheme allegedly plotted by the Democratic Party to boost Peltola’s chances.

— Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 2 Nov. 2026
The possibility of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe should not be confused with evidence that extraterrestrial beings have visited Earth, Kirkpatrick said.

— Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of confuse

Verb

Many Eagles players were concerned and bewildered by the development.

— Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Latif is conflicted by his double life, bewildered by his doubling of parental responsibilities, constantly trying to think two moves ahead yet always ending up three steps behind.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of bewilder

Verb

To me, Neil Simon’s comedy is a masterclass in the architecture of laughter, and I’ve long been baffled that this extraordinary play hasn’t received a major revival in recent years.

— Greg Evans, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2026
The latest weakening of criteria is baffling if not unsurprising given the agency’s pitifully weak, unserious leadership.

— Diana Urban, Hartford Courant, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of baffle

Verb

Over a career spanning five decades, von Rydingsvard transformed humble four-by-four chunks of wood into towering shapes whose puzzling bumps and hollows gave them the aura of ancient living beings.

— News Desk, Artforum, 29 Oct. 2026
For a country full of passionate racing fans, the 73-year wait for an Italian champ is puzzling.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of puzzle

Verb

Two weeks after befuddling football fans from Duluth to Daytona Beach, Texas PAC engineered an even more straightforward placement by snapping up a unit in NBC’s Sunday Night Football.

— Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 30 Oct. 2026
For Bass, the program is evidence that her administration has made progress on an issue that befuddled her predecessors.

— Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of befuddle

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mystifies

mystify

mystifying

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“Mystify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mystify. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of mystify

verb

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