1
as in complicates
to make complex or difficult
let's not perplex the issue further with irrelevant concerns
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bewilders
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
the question perplexed me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perplexes
Verb
-
But Thursday’s positive economic data complicates the Fed’s situation.—
Rob Wile,
NBC news,
25 Sep. 2025 -
Each character, from family members to firm associates, complicates Jax’s pursuit of justice while reflecting the contradictions of reality.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The designs were puckish and gender-bending, evoking both awe and repulsion—the sort of clothing that titillates lovers of conceptual fashion and bewilders the uninitiated.—
Ana Karina Zatarain,
New Yorker,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Wedged in the far southeastern corner of the bottom of the continent, between South Africa and Mozambique, Eswatini is the last absolute monarchy in Africa, a status that bewilders modernizers and beguiles traditionalists.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Typically caused by a sensitive immune system — which confuses innocuous bacteria for harmful pathogens — symptoms include fever, fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite and weight loss, anemia, skin changes, arthritis and more.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
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The disinformation pushed by these types of influencers confuses audiences, leaves them less informed, and erodes trust in actual journalism.—
Taylor Lorenz,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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One case that still baffles is the macabre story of Virginia McCullough, who killed her parents for their money – and then lived with their bodies for four years.—
KC Baker,
People.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Perplexes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perplexes. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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