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
as in perplexing
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in baffling
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
we were mystified by the sudden changes in the tax code
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mystify
Addie Morfoot,
Variety,
23 May 2026
Investigators and lawmakers on the panel were mystified as to why Eastland hadn’t ordered a large-scale evacuation over the PA system or gone cabin-to-cabin to ask girls to evacuate by foot.
—
Ashley Killough,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
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
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
See All Example Sentences for mystify
Verb
Related Stories The murders had mystified police and haunted the victims’ families for more than three decades.
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Addie Morfoot,
Variety,
23 May 2026
Investigators and lawmakers on the panel were mystified as to why Eastland hadn’t ordered a large-scale evacuation over the PA system or gone cabin-to-cabin to ask girls to evacuate by foot.
—
Ashley Killough,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 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
Verb
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
See All Example Sentences for mystify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mystify
Verb
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And Wednesday’s doubleheader — thanks to a Monday rainout that perplexed Counsell — certainly didn’t help the pitching staff.
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Sometimes those editing swings make sense, like incorporating more social-media posts and group chats, but other times the stylistic choices simply perplex.
Verb
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The decision reverses a June 15 determination by Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher, who concluded the Petersburg resident's candidacy was intended to confuse voters rather than represent a legitimate campaign.
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The senator and allies, including the National Republican Senatorial Committee, have condemned the challenger’s efforts to join the race, arguing his presence could confuse voters.
Verb
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For three years straight, he’s kept up a pace that bewilders the industry’s leading comics.
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The narrator and his wife find that their attachment to the charismatic and cryptic Chibi grows with the cat’s increasing visits, in a way that bewilders them but somehow bonds them closer together.
Verb
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In the sixth inning, Jasson Domínguez battled Skubal for eight pitches, surviving against the stuff that baffled him earlier in the game.
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His mother, Ahmani Hicks, describes him as a kid who loved sports, and she's baffled as to why her son was targeted.
Verb
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Pochettino seemed puzzled by the downcast tone of his post-match press conference.
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Astronomers are puzzled that such a glaring inconsistency could have gone unnoticed in existing data, such as the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), which provides our earliest snapshot of the universe.
Verb
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Hardly ten more minutes had passed before Dembélé scored again—this time, cutting inside and stuttering his dribble and then, having befuddled the defense, rolling the ball right past it into an open corner of the goal.
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Of course, this is just a simple way to look at a complex problem that befuddles property owners, insurance companies and policymakers alike.
Cite this Entry
“Mystify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mystify. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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