as in mystery
something hard to understand or explain
the final fate of the colonists at Roanoke remains a puzzle to this very day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to baffle
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
it is the cause of the disease that puzzles doctors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to solve
to find an answer for through reasoning
I was able to puzzle out the riddle in a fairly short time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of puzzle
Cheyenne Buckingham, SELF, 24 Oct. 2025
Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 18 Oct. 2025
Joel M. Vance, Outdoor Life, 29 Oct. 2025
Chemical clues from another world What makes these observations particularly intriguing and puzzling is the detection of nickel without concurrent detection of iron above our instrumental limits.
—Darryl Seligman, Space.com, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puzzle
Noun
Although medication is often a piece of the treatment puzzle, many people also turn to self-care strategies and lifestyle modifications to help alleviate pain, reduce flares, and support their physical and mental well-being.
—Cheyenne Buckingham, SELF, 24 Oct. 2025
Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
The whole situation puzzled me-the atmosphere even seemed charged with eerie energy.
—Joel M. Vance, Outdoor Life, 29 Oct. 2025
Chemical clues from another world What makes these observations particularly intriguing and puzzling is the detection of nickel without concurrent detection of iron above our instrumental limits.
—Darryl Seligman, Space.com, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puzzle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puzzle
mystery
Noun
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Martin, 38, created, co-wrote and stars in Wayward, a Netflix mystery series that follows a local police officer's investigation into a local school for troubled teens in an isolated small town.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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The mystery donor who offered $130 million to pay troops during the government shutdown is Timothy Mellon, sources told The New York Times on Saturday.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Puzzle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puzzle. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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