PERPLEXING Synonyms: 174 Similar and Opposite Words

perplexing 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of perplexing

as in baffling

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

perplexing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of perplex

as in complicating

to make complex or difficult let's not perplex the issue further with irrelevant concerns

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in puzzling

to throw into a state of mental uncertainty the question perplexed me

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Adjective

What’s baffling is that none of this lies beyond the ability of city officials to address.

— Michael Powell, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
Tracking the sky to such depths, such resolution and for such a long time practically guarantees that a bevy of weird and baffling phenomena will emerge from the LSST data.

— Phil Plait, Scientific American, 24 July 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

That made the league’s scheduling decision especially puzzling.

— Dan Zaksheske, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026
This stingray is currently known from only two drainage systems, the Demerara River and the río Guanare which is… puzzling, to say the least, as these systems are not obviously connected in modern hydrology.

— Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Definition of puzzling

Adjective

Jean appears to be the first character in that reset, which is confusing because the old versions of various X-Men characters are still here.

— Eliana Dockterman, Time, 31 July 2026
Meanwhile, thousands more are waiting in county jails for cases that are winding through a new, convoluted and confusing system where geography controls the rules.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026

Definition of confusing

Verb

The operation has brought a fuel crisis that is embarrassing the Kremlin more than four years after Russia’s all-out invasion of its neighbor.

— Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
Kyiv’s forces have targeted Russian oil facilities, causing fuel shortages and embarrassing President Vladimir Putin.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026

Definition of embarrassing

Verb

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
Similarly, the defensively bewildering 9-6 loss the Wild suffered to start Round 2 in Colorado set the tone for five games that would ultimately be their undoing.

— Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 3 June 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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“Perplexing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perplexing. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of perplexing

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

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