1
as in bewildered
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2
as in quizzical
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Dissimilar Words
as in baffled
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
it is the cause of the disease that puzzles doctors
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of puzzled
K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2026
Autoimmune diseases—a broad and complex category of ailments including rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes—have long puzzled researchers.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 9 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
The looks grew even more puzzled when Weir, known as the most boyishly handsome member of the Dead, grew facial hair, prompting comparisons to a Civil War reenactor or the cartoon character Yosemite Sam.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026
He was greeted by puzzled expressions.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Despite ever-deeper foundations for higher and heavier towers — the latest now extend 20 stories down, more than twice as deep as the foundations of the city’s first towers — some oceanfront buildings still settled at amounts that puzzled engineers.
—Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 1 Dec. 2025
Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 5 June 2026
Although new pieces of evidence continue to surface daily, none have provided any credible leads, leaving investigators and the public puzzled.
—Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 4 June 2026
The unconventional performance left the judges puzzled.
—Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
At least one employee was puzzled, and another was furious.
—Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
Two experts said they were puzzled by the release records.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 30 May 2026
Tim Ream is looking at you, puzzled.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 28 May 2026
Just as with companies spending lavishly on AI integration today, economists analyzing the first days of the Internet in the early and mid-1990s might have been similarly puzzled.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 27 May 2026
Stephen Colbert is departing late night television as a ratings powerhouse, leaving industry observers puzzled by his exit despite his consistent viewership dominance.
—Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Adjective
Just how much plants can sense in the world around them has long puzzled researchers.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2026
Autoimmune diseases—a broad and complex category of ailments including rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes—have long puzzled researchers.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 9 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
The looks grew even more puzzled when Weir, known as the most boyishly handsome member of the Dead, grew facial hair, prompting comparisons to a Civil War reenactor or the cartoon character Yosemite Sam.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026
He was greeted by puzzled expressions.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Despite ever-deeper foundations for higher and heavier towers — the latest now extend 20 stories down, more than twice as deep as the foundations of the city’s first towers — some oceanfront buildings still settled at amounts that puzzled engineers.
—Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 1 Dec. 2025
Verb
The Braves swapped out catchers Thursday, a move that puzzled some fans because there wasn’t a clear explanation.
—Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 5 June 2026
Although new pieces of evidence continue to surface daily, none have provided any credible leads, leaving investigators and the public puzzled.
—Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 4 June 2026
The unconventional performance left the judges puzzled.
—Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
At least one employee was puzzled, and another was furious.
—Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
Two experts said they were puzzled by the release records.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 30 May 2026
Tim Ream is looking at you, puzzled.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 28 May 2026
Just as with companies spending lavishly on AI integration today, economists analyzing the first days of the Internet in the early and mid-1990s might have been similarly puzzled.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 27 May 2026
Stephen Colbert is departing late night television as a ratings powerhouse, leaving industry observers puzzled by his exit despite his consistent viewership dominance.
—Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puzzled
Adjective
-
Kelli cries over how solid the Mwangi unit is, praising Gerald as a father and husband and affirming that Shamea’s ass is real, while everyone else looks on, bewildered.—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
-
Karl-Anthony Towns, who was on the podium with him, took off his glasses and looked at his teammate with a bewildered expression.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
Adjective
-
By widening the lens, Clark is able to redirect the book’s gaze from the mother toward a quizzical, sometimes critical, but not unaffectionate portrait of two generations of political activism, with the attendant self-involvement and domestic negligence.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Carpenter responded with a quizzical frown.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This new dating trend is leaving people baffled and heartbroken.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
-
But he was baffled as to why people are now incensed over pickleball courts.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Then came the World Cup, and for a month, a curious if somewhat bemused country sampled the world’s game up close.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
-
Sweetest children, Granny said, sounding bemused.—
Audrey Schmidt,
PEOPLE,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Beijing is widely seen to be wary of that program, which has traditionally heightened American focus on the region and risks instability that could impact China, which shares a border with North Korea.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
-
Separately, some remain wary of the consequences of redundancies across certain functions.—
Meg Short,
Fortune,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
Democrats have been particularly perplexed given the state's top-two primary system, which places all candidates on a single ballot regardless of party.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 May 2026
-
As a longtime rider I, too, am perplexed by regular displays of poor customer service by CTA employees.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
This is perhaps why people were so surprised to see William, always so cognizant of optics, greeting Beatrice so warmly.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
9 June 2026
-
Anyone familiar with the city’s overwhelmingly Democratic voter-registration numbers or who perused some of the better polls before the primary would not be the slightest bit surprised by this result.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
The move suggests a broader shift in Tehran, where a new generation of leaders is increasingly abandoning the cautious, reactive approach that long defined the Islamic Republic’s strategy towards its adversaries.—
Abbas Al Lawati,
CNN Money,
10 June 2026
-
Ciara is very cautious and played it slow in opening her heart up to West.—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Puzzled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puzzled. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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