as in baffling
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 inexplicable
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Dissimilar Words
2
as in perplexing
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of puzzling
Matt Donnelly, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025
This is a group of materials known for both their huge potential and their puzzling nature.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2025
Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
This is puzzling since successful organizations focus on people, processes, and cultural change besides technology implementation.
—London School Of Economics, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puzzling
Verb
Fan interactions are inevitable for a star like Leonardo DiCaprio, the former heartthrob turned permanent Hollywood A-lister, but some are more puzzling than others.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025
This is a group of materials known for both their huge potential and their puzzling nature.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Your appetite might differ, but for me, nine novels in, all this code-cracking and jigsaw-puzzling is no longer thrilling.
—Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
This is puzzling since successful organizations focus on people, processes, and cultural change besides technology implementation.
—London School Of Economics, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puzzling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puzzling
Verb
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Gen Alpha’s latest viral catchphrase is baffling adults and delighting kids across the country.—
Kimberly Richardson,
CNN Money,
21 Oct. 2025
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But the immediacy around these conversations about the Titans are baffling to me.—
Nick Suss,
Nashville Tennessean,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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At the beginning of the episode, Ron is still paranoid following that inexplicable run-in with the apparent Tecca enforcer.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
20 Oct. 2025
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Then came inexplicable defeats at UCLA and against Northwestern at home.—
Scott Dochterman,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In a whirlwind year for the organization, his slump was one of the more perplexing developments.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
18 Oct. 2025
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Yet the latest season has had a perplexing schedule.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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And aren’t our real-life romantic complications bewildering enough?—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
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Its ginormous investments in higher-value, tech-heavy sectors from smartphones to autos to semiconductors to biotechnology are disrupting the global landscape at bewildering speed.—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Gehman, then a graduate student earning a doctorate in disease ecology, had heard about a mysterious illness sweeping through the Pacific coast’s iconic invertebrates.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
17 Oct. 2025
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Since its discovery in 2009, scientists have made little headway in understanding the mysterious origins of these excess gamma rays.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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What is the most confounding and terrible, however, is Gretchen’s assertion that Slade, the anti-Viagra, doesn’t get involved with the women on his own accord, but only engages because the women always talk about him.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
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The offense’s struggles are the most confounding.—
Zach Berman,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This brings the total to more than $2 million raised to influence the outcome of Referendum 310, funding a wave of misleading ads aimed at confusing voters.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
15 Oct. 2025
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The British and American versions also have different plot points, further confusing the matter, but the score has endured and developed a cult-following.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In the face of that, Keaton’s off- and sometimes on-duty style represented limitless possibilities, and a previously incomprehensible kind of freedom.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
12 Oct. 2025
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And the thought of McDavid leaving Edmonton under any condition once felt incomprehensible.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Puzzling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puzzling. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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