perplexing 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of perplexingnext
as in baffling

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Dissimilar Words

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 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
  • Common issues complicating pregnancies are obesity, substance abuse, and depression or mental health problems.
    — Judy Stone, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Firefighting crews were making progress in trying to keep the blaze under control, but strong wind gusts were complicating those efforts.
    — Miguel Macias, NPR, 27 July 2026
Definition of complicating
Verb
  • 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
  • Plus, the powerful cosmic titans get really puzzling when astronomers using the JWST spot them before the universe was even 1 billion years old.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 19 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
  • Kyiv’s forces have targeted Russian oil facilities, causing fuel shortages and embarrassing President Vladimir Putin.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
  • Benefield alleged her stepmother began isolating her from her father, blaming her for household conflicts, reading her private journal, publicly embarrassing her and seeking to push her out of the family dynamic.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 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
  • The somewhat muddled tale of a wealthy foreigner in Italy, going feral from the pressures of maternity both lost and found, feels longer on rather lofty style than substance for some time.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 30 July 2026
  • That particular brand of pseudo-advocacy, hiding behind the muddled language of law, has been a PEN America staple for at least a decade now.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 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 3 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of perplexing for Spanish Speakers

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