perplexing 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of perplexingnext
as in baffling

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perplexing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of perplex
1
as in complicating
to make complex or difficult let's not perplex the issue further with irrelevant concerns

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in puzzling
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty the question perplexed me

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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 perplexing
Adjective
Indy’s decision to prioritize Pierce over Pittman is perplexing. — Jim Reineking, USA Today, 6 July 2026 For some perplexing reason, Gia has decided to die on the hill that Ava is lying, despite having no way to prove that and despite the fact that Ava has no reason to lie. — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 2 July 2026
Verb
The disjunction between the abstract composition and the notion of self-portraiture appeared perplexing in its own right; its inoperability only exacerbated the viewer’s frustration and redoubled the artist’s impish provocation. — Ara H. Merjian, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026 Even more than the finished show, this eerie, perplexing multi-Gaga spectacle feels like a glimpse into her subconscious. — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 13 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for perplexing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perplexing
  1. baffling
  2. complicating
  3. puzzling
  4. confusing
  5. embarrassing
  6. bewildering
  7. confounding
  8. muddled
Adjective
  • What’s particularly baffling was how relatively little content came out of the trip, according to The Verge, with almost none of it actually about OpenAI’s chief product, ChatGPT.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 6 Aug. 2026
  • But neither the feisty spirit of Olive Penderghast nor the tragic legacy of Hester Prynne can be found anywhere near Gluck’s baffling interpretation of Braun’s once-promising tale.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of baffling
Verb
  • Advertisement But, again, this result in Michigan may be a complicating factor as Democrats try to figure out their next leaders.
    — Philip Elliott, Time, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The president's backing typically carries significant weight in Republican politics, but there could be a complicating factor.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of complicating
Verb
  • The encyclical’s critique of military AI is similarly puzzling.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2026
  • It's become a world of quick and easy solutions for life's puzzling issues; seemingly solving them in 45 seconds or using household remedies.
    — John Shumway, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of puzzling
Adjective
  • But underneath the headline numbers, the job market is sending mixed and confusing signals.
    — Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The warm and fuzzy feeling of seeing a few familiar faces in the first season evaporated because of a frequently confusing plot about androids.
    — Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of confusing
Verb
  • The operation has brought a fuel crisis that is embarrassing the Kremlin.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Anthrax, Sublime, and Red Hot Chili Peppers were easy and often embarrassing examples, but the funky waka-waka guitar sound extended to Rage Against the Machine, Green Jellÿ, and Suicidal Tendencies (and their side project, Infectious Grooves).
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of embarrassing
Verb
  • The threats are constantly evolving, layering upon themselves with bewildering speed.
    — Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • But these casting decisions are bewildering, to say the least, and will certainly cost the film ticket sales and potential revenue.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of bewildering
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
Definition of confounding
Adjective
  • In the summer of 1991, a group of conspirators staged a muddled coup to overthrow then-USSR president Mikhail Gorbachev, ultimately accelerating the shift from communism to capitalism.
    — Jake Angelo, semafor.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The Jays, with the American League picture still so muddled, probably won’t be the only team trying to buy and sell.
    — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of muddled

Browse Nearby Words

perplexes
perplexing
perplexities
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Cite this Entry

“Perplexing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perplexing. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on perplexing

Nglish: Translation of perplexing for Spanish Speakers

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