as in perplexing
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as in baffling
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 mystifying
Bill Madden, New York Daily News, 14 Mar. 2026
The outlandish and mystifying story received nearly wall-to-wall coverage, but the plane was never found.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) January 31, 2026 Then Peterson played just three minutes in the second half before heading to the bench, limited by the return of nagging injuries that have sidelined him for a good portion of his mystifying rookie season.
—Brendan Marks, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Perimeter shooters went cold, finishing at the rim turned into a mystifying struggle, and the offense wasn’t able to capitalize after creating advantages behind the play by switch-hunting Doncic.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Jan. 2026
Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2026
But the mystifying circumstances of his 1973 death — involving an overdose at the Joshua Tree Inn and the subsequent theft of his body — have often overshadowed his remarkable musical legacy.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 14 Apr. 2026
And then there’s the mystifying whiff of slop.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
There are few people in the world who know the mystifying experience of being a child star as well as Brandy.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
The idea that these enormities wouldn’t have negative electoral ramifications is mystifying.
—Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Though maybe also mystifying it even more.
—Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 18 Mar. 2026
In this regard, an emotional, mystifying club remains exactly the same.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Exhibitions, no matter their theme, always had a way of mystifying me.
—Anya Sesay, jsonline.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
The Mets’ continual snub of Hall of Famer Carter, a pivotal player in the team’s history as the first building block of the 1986 championship club, is both mystifying and downright embarrassing.
—Bill Madden, New York Daily News, 14 Mar. 2026
The outlandish and mystifying story received nearly wall-to-wall coverage, but the plane was never found.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) January 31, 2026 Then Peterson played just three minutes in the second half before heading to the bench, limited by the return of nagging injuries that have sidelined him for a good portion of his mystifying rookie season.
—Brendan Marks, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Perimeter shooters went cold, finishing at the rim turned into a mystifying struggle, and the offense wasn’t able to capitalize after creating advantages behind the play by switch-hunting Doncic.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
Franz Wagner, who missed 48 games this year with that mystifying ankle injury, finally started looking like his old self with 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2026
But the mystifying circumstances of his 1973 death — involving an overdose at the Joshua Tree Inn and the subsequent theft of his body — have often overshadowed his remarkable musical legacy.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 14 Apr. 2026
And then there’s the mystifying whiff of slop.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
There are few people in the world who know the mystifying experience of being a child star as well as Brandy.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
The idea that these enormities wouldn’t have negative electoral ramifications is mystifying.
—Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Though maybe also mystifying it even more.
—Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 18 Mar. 2026
In this regard, an emotional, mystifying club remains exactly the same.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Exhibitions, no matter their theme, always had a way of mystifying me.
—Anya Sesay, jsonline.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mystifying
Adjective
-
Perhaps the most perplexing part of the Nancy Guthrie investigation for the general public has been the lack of information.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
14 Apr. 2026
-
But as the adorable pair get acclimated to life in the nest, they've been observed doing some perplexing – perhaps even seemingly concerning – behavior.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As the castle’s internal order collapses under the weight of a string of baffling crimes, Araki strikes a fragile alliance with Kuroda Kanbei – a razor-minded captive languishing in his own dungeon – in a race to root out a traitor before Oda’s army closes in.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
14 Apr. 2026
-
This inversion explains a host of baffling political and cultural phenomena of late.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
However, the Echoes From the Past creators made the puzzling and terrifying artistic choice to have VR visitors ride outside the sub during the descent.—
Jordan Runtagh,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Everyone already knows about the Red Sox’s struggles, especially at the plate, but the Mariners and Tigers’ early slumps have been equally puzzling.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But even more than engaging the big ideas that Emma’s revelation triggers — pun somewhat intended — Lee and Borli wanted to craft an experience that would mimic its main characters’ bewildering interiority.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
6 Apr. 2026
-
There aren’t many ways to earn a club’s first win better than bewildering the league’s defending champions at their place.—
Braidon Nourse,
Denver Post,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Grief is one of the most confounding aspects of the human experience.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
-
In 2021, one year into D’Amaro’s tenure and following COVID shutdowns, Disney did away with FastPass and introduced a confounding and very costly series of pay-to-skip passes, which require timing advanced booking of limited slots in these formerly free-to-enter shorter lines.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Welcome to Asking for a Friend, a weekly series dedicated to solving the messy, awkward, and confusing parts of modern friendship.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
22 Apr. 2026
-
But factors like confusing trailheads and limited provisions mean that going alone also comes with unique risks.—
Allison Forsyth,
Health,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Bischoff found the whole situation bizarre.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The results were colorful, bursting with shapes and patterns, but often totally bizarre.—
Gabe Montesanti,
PEOPLE,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Getty Images With five weeks of Europe’s biggest domestic league seasons left to play, all kinds of strange scorelines are starting to roll in.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The end of kayfabe brought about a strange artistic flourishing—wrestling postmodernism.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mystifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mystifying. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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