puzzled 1 of 2

adjective

1
as in bewildered

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2
as in quizzical

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puzzled

2 of 2

verb

past tense of puzzle
as in baffled
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty it is the cause of the disease that puzzles doctors

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 puzzled
Adjective
Residents struggled to understand the process of receiving help from FEMA, people were beset by scams and price gouging, and tenants whose homes had been destroyed or made uninhabitable puzzled over their rights. — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 23 July 2026 Many going to work Friday morning in the Financial District were a little puzzled by the new development. — Andrea Nakano, CBS News, 12 July 2026 The umpires conferred and spoke with Venable, who seemed puzzled by the inquisition. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2026 The query came from a man — puzzled look on his face, riding MARTA — stopped at Five Points station. — Gavin Godfrey, AJC.com, 17 June 2026 Just how much plants can sense in the world around them has long puzzled researchers. — K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2026 Clean energy companies are even more puzzled. — Justin Worland, Time, 26 Mar. 2026 High above the forests of the Sauerland, though a popular hiking spot today, individuals from the Iron Age decided to fortify this location with rocks, but why these Iron Age men would secure the mountain puzzled archaeologists. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 7 Mar. 2026 Two of them seemed puzzled by the phrase, struggling to parse out its meaning, while the third instinctively got it. — Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2026
Verb
We have been puzzled, even exasperated at times, by the Heat’s level of patience with its roster over the past two seasons, particularly last year. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026 However, the largest drop in June occurred among prime-age workers, leaving several economists puzzled and surprised. — CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026 Just ask Australian break dancer Rachael Gunn, whose performance at the 2024 Olympics puzzled viewers the world over. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2026 Three bears were taken, and, in keeping with the southern tradition of bear hunting, Roosevelt’s hosts were a bit puzzled by the president’s disappointment. — Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026 The discovery is the latest example of DNA offering new clues about diseases and deaths that have puzzled researchers for centuries. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2026 Some economists were puzzled by the results but said higher minimum wage and the healthcare industry probably helped. — Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026 The fire chief, Gene Perreault, who was there during the walk-through, tells me the piles puzzled investigators. — Zander Sherman, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026 Tempo coach Sandy Brondello seemed puzzled by the absence of violet. — Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puzzled
  1. bewildered
  2. quizzical
  3. baffled
  4. bemused
  5. wary
  6. perplexed
  7. surprised
  8. cautious
Adjective
  • That bewildered shake of the head after Meyer's pitch in that video is not a rare occurrence for Raleigh this year.
    — Eno Sarris, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • On Douban, a popular Chinese movie-review platform, viewers piled on with mocking and bewildered comments.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of bewildered
Adjective
  • Long missing an eyebrow, the plushie looked forever quizzical.
    — Danielle Paquette, Washington Post, 8 Aug. 2026
  • To its left, sausages revolved on chrome rollers; to its right, a human attendant in a brightly colored uniform looked patient and quizzical.
    — Evan Osnos, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of quizzical
Verb
  • Her unconventional breakdancing moves during her final performance against Lithuania’s Dominika Banevič (B-Girl Nicka) baffled audiences at home and cemented her as a meme royalty.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Host Kara Robinson Chamberlain, a true crime influencer, kidnapping survivor and former law enforcement officer, investigated the killing that has baffled Liz's family, friends and the community for seven years.
    — Curran Rastogi, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of baffled
Adjective
  • Or, for those on his level or a step ahead of it, maybe just bemused chatter at a coastal dinner party in desperate need of a conversation steroid shot.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2026
  • To his right, a young man is shooting on his iPhone while his friend interviews a bemused passerby.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
Definition of bemused
Adjective
  • His father, Francisco, was also wary, afraid that the town’s militarization would somehow provoke further conflict.
    — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • South Africa has seemingly overcome its electricity crisis, with the country’s power utility, Eskom, reporting a power surplus during the winter peak-demand season, but civil society groups are wary of the surplus power being sold to data centers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of wary
Verb
  • Others are perplexed at the meshing of fact (Wat Tyler and the Revolt) and fiction (Robin Hood).
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
  • As crime units and crime tape surrounded the house, neighbors who knew the officer are perplexed.
    — Anna Meiler, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of perplexed
Adjective
  • But don’t be surprised if Blackwood finds his edge again this season, either.
    — Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Steinberg was not surprised that Donald came out of retirement because so many of his clients wanted to as well.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of surprised
Adjective
  • But Azizi warned that adding economic pressure will not necessarily make Iran more cautious, especially if Tehran sees it as unsustainable.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Be cautious about sharing personal information with an unexpected caller.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of cautious

Browse Nearby Words

puzzle
puzzled
puzzled (out)
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Cite this Entry

“Puzzled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puzzled. Accessed 8 Sep. 2026.

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