as in confusion
a state of mental uncertainty
seeing her perplexity, the teacher stepped in with a helpful hint
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 perplexity
The performances, too, are more likenesses than full characterizations, which, admittedly, is wholly in keeping with the perplexities being dramatized.
—
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024
Gratitude isn’t obviously a concept capable of generating such perplexities.
—Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 26 Nov. 2024
The performances, too, are more likenesses than full characterizations, which, admittedly, is wholly in keeping with the perplexities being dramatized.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024
And that perplexity surrounding coverage may get more complicated.
—Kff Health News, The Mercury News, 17 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for perplexity
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024
Gratitude isn’t obviously a concept capable of generating such perplexities.
—Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 26 Nov. 2024
The performances, too, are more likenesses than full characterizations, which, admittedly, is wholly in keeping with the perplexities being dramatized.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024
And that perplexity surrounding coverage may get more complicated.
—Kff Health News, The Mercury News, 17 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for perplexity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perplexity
Noun
-
The move sparked anxiety, confusion and intense pushback from public school districts and advocates nationwide.—
Rachel Wegner,
The Tennessean,
27 July 2025
-
Besides confusion among the crowd and a brief delay turning over Hall H from one panel to the next, the alarm did not seem to cause any major disruption to Friday's festivities.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
26 July 2025
Noun
-
Lifting the London fog A Burberry store at Fashion Valley, an upscale shopping mall, on Dec. 13, 2024, in San Diego, California.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
18 July 2025
-
Be sure to pay homage to John Steinbeck at Cannery Row in Monterey, then bundle up to cut through the fog in San Francisco.—
Jessie Beck,
AFAR Media,
17 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Perplexity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perplexity. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share