as in baffling
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1
as in complicating
to make complex or difficult
let's not perplex the issue further with irrelevant concerns
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2
as in puzzling
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
the question perplexed me
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Recent Examples of perplexing
Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
In a show full of people doing dumb stuff, Anna is doing dumb stuff for ambiguous reasons, though nearly every aspect of her character is rendered either perplexing or illogical in the finale.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026
Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 2 Nov. 2025
Tutu Atwell’s role is perplexing Every fan base has some trademark bits.
—Nate Atkins, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for perplexing
Adjective
This perplexing Pearsall predicament particularly matters because the Niners are walking into a buzzsaw.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
In a show full of people doing dumb stuff, Anna is doing dumb stuff for ambiguous reasons, though nearly every aspect of her character is rendered either perplexing or illogical in the finale.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
But as the fearsome storm unfolded, perplexing science questions emerged, said Joshua Wadler, an associate scientist at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach who was aboard the flights on Kermit with Hazelton.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 2 Nov. 2025
Tutu Atwell’s role is perplexing Every fan base has some trademark bits.
—Nate Atkins, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for perplexing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perplexing
Adjective
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And that is to solve difficult criminal cases like the baffling Nancy Guthrie mystery, as well as to combat threats to the country.—
Peter Lucas,
Boston Herald,
16 Feb. 2026
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Why British Chinese food is baffling to Americans.—
Maureen Ohare,
CNN Money,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But her government first must tackle rising prices and stagnant wages, complicating her ultra-conservative social agenda on immigration and women’s rights.—
Mari Yamaguchi,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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But the sheer number of people implicated, the varying degrees of association with Epstein, and other complicating factors have made repercussions for others slower to emerge.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Yes, Tuesday night’s concert was also occasionally puzzling in its choices.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Feb. 2026
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Just add it to the list of examples of puzzling goalie interference calls.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In a world with so many single-use items, knowing the most conscious way to dispose of them can be confusing.—
Julia James,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Feb. 2026
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Now young people dress according to the fad du jour, or simply combine lots of different aesthetics into one oftentimes confusing melange.—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vanity Fair,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Fairchild played the free-wheeling bon vivant Nora Tyler Bing on five episodes of the sitcom classic, unwittingly embarrassing Perry's Chandler Bing to the delight of his pals.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Feb. 2026
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One day, Will goes viral after embarrassing ROAR league MVP, Mane Attraction (Aaron Pierre), during a streetball challenge, prompting his favorite team, the Vineland Thorns, to sign him to a season-ending contract in a desperate attempt to juice ticket sales.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Even a principled, well-meaning actor like Claude could face bewildering ethical conflicts.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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And aren’t our real-life romantic complications bewildering enough?—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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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
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The Eagles were a confounding defending champion throughout the regular season.—
Jeff Howe,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Visit our website Republicans, by contrast, offer a muddled message.—
Neetu Arnold,
Washington Post,
10 Feb. 2026
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Why is the messaging so muddled here?—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Perplexing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perplexing. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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