as in baffled
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
it is the cause of the disease that puzzles doctors
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in bewildered
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Dissimilar Words
2
as in quizzical
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of puzzled
New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2025
Eels have a unique ability to move even after a spinal cord injury, a feat that has long puzzled scientists.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2025
Fernando Quiles Jr, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Wenhardt stared at his pages, puzzled.
—Jane Bua, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
From Scepticism to Confidence In my discussions, executives often admit being puzzled about how to approach AI.
—London School Of Economics, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
The move has puzzled many since ending the program would bar every company, including oil firms, from accessing federal subsidies for capturing carbon or producing hydrogen fuel.
—Natasha Bracken, semafor.com, 16 Sep. 2025
This switcheroo has puzzled many scientists.
—Deborah Fuller, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Finally, the object had an unusual shape that puzzled astronomers.
—Nola Taylor Tillman, Space.com, 8 Sep. 2025
This switcheroo has puzzled many scientists.
—Deborah Fuller, The Conversation, 3 Sep. 2025
This mystery puzzled scientists because ice was not supposed to behave like that.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
But what's puzzled scientists is that these kinds of craters have only appeared in western Siberia.
—New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2025
Eels have a unique ability to move even after a spinal cord injury, a feat that has long puzzled scientists.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Reports surfaced claiming that WWE was puzzled by such a low grade, followed by rumors that the company pushed to have Hale fired from his position at ESPN.
—Fernando Quiles Jr, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Wenhardt stared at his pages, puzzled.
—Jane Bua, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
From Scepticism to Confidence In my discussions, executives often admit being puzzled about how to approach AI.
—London School Of Economics, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
The move has puzzled many since ending the program would bar every company, including oil firms, from accessing federal subsidies for capturing carbon or producing hydrogen fuel.
—Natasha Bracken, semafor.com, 16 Sep. 2025
This switcheroo has puzzled many scientists.
—Deborah Fuller, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Finally, the object had an unusual shape that puzzled astronomers.
—Nola Taylor Tillman, Space.com, 8 Sep. 2025
This switcheroo has puzzled many scientists.
—Deborah Fuller, The Conversation, 3 Sep. 2025
This mystery puzzled scientists because ice was not supposed to behave like that.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puzzled
Verb
-
But the rhetoric has baffled Democrats, who see ER payments as effective and noncontroversial and are unwilling to disavow it.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Fans in the surrounding section can be heard in shock, baffled that the man gave away such a coveted possession.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
As Friday’s stabbing incident involving NFL alum Mark Sanchez slowly comes into focus, the team at Fox Sports seems to be just as bewildered as the rest of us.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Hair disheveled, a dazed and bewildered look in his eyes, the coach trudged into his own dressing room to regroup and get a rundown of a growing list of injuries.—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In a YouTube video, the robot’s head glances around with a quizzical expression and blinks in a way that is eerily lifelike.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Louie is summoned to the apartment of Joe Black, a higher-up gangster played by John Malkovich with a manner so quizzical yet threatening that his voice just about quivers with unexpressed rage.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
For nearly 20 years, astronomers have been perplexed by the strange disk of dust and debris circling Fomalhaut, a bright star just 25 light-years from Earth.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Many historians have been perplexed by how such a seemingly simple man as Shakespeare could have written works of such grandeur and depth.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Many of the British people in the audience were left bemused.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
30 Sep. 2025
-
My cousins rose to greet me and my mother, and for a second we were all bemused.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Goodall was wary of doing another documentary on her life in 2017, but was persuaded by National Geographic to do so.—
Emily Krauser,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
-
This shows that parents and caregivers are growing wary of mounting student loan debt and are reluctant to have their children burdened by it in the future.—
De Elizabeth,
Parents,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Lethargic and confused in their play.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Oxygen bleach soaks—Oxygen bleach (not to be confused with chlorine bleach) is a gentle yet powerful whitening agent.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In real life, Kerr was also surprised by this in his early days.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Don't be surprised if Giolito isn't on Boston's roster next season.—
Shaun McAvoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Puzzled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puzzled. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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