1
as in inexplicable
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2
as in perplexing
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Dissimilar Words
as in baffling
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 puzzling
Scott Phillips, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
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
Charles Singh, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
But the controls were narrowly confined to largely low-tech goods, leaving out advanced technologies that could be used by police and leading at times to puzzling priorities.
—Byron Tau, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puzzling
Adjective
Another puzzling result dipped the Green Bay Packers to +750, good for third in the odds.
—Scott Phillips, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
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
Verb
While Tesla's Mad Max Mode isn't designed to be outright dangerous, its reintroduction following its original 2018 release is puzzling because of scrutiny on the brand's true semi-autonomous driving capabilities.
—Charles Singh, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
But the controls were narrowly confined to largely low-tech goods, leaving out advanced technologies that could be used by police and leading at times to puzzling priorities.
—Byron Tau, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puzzling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puzzling
Adjective
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The Buffalo Bills followed up an impressive win over the Kansas City Chiefs, their long-time AFC nemesis, with an almost inexplicable flop against the Miami Dolphins in Week 10, losing 30-13 on the road.—
Max Dible,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
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There were no major returning actors or ongoing storylines, save for the Yautja’s somewhat inexplicable obsession with intergalactic trophy hunting, and most attempts to reboot the property failed to explain why this series should exist in the first place.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Played for comic relief, he is baffled by this son of his who attends college and, more perplexing yet, is suddenly obsessed with Italy and cycling.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
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The Packers’ offense already had several perplexing questions to answer after a dismal Sunday showing.—
Matt Schneidman,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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As if dark energy weren't already mysterious and baffling enough, new research suggests that this unknown force may not be driving galaxies apart at an accelerating rate anymore.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
6 Nov. 2025
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One morning, members of the Fort Greely missile defense base spot an ICBM of unknown origin on a suborbital trajectory heading straight for Chicago, baffling the country’s top intelligence and defense teams who only have 18 minutes to respond before impact.—
Jake Kring-Schreifels,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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As if dark energy weren't already mysterious and baffling enough, new research suggests that this unknown force may not be driving galaxies apart at an accelerating rate anymore.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
6 Nov. 2025
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The goddess planet knows the art of seduction, but when transiting Scorpio, her sweetness is equally seductive and mysterious.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 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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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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The wealth at the top is incomprehensible — orders of magnitude beyond the numbers most of us glean from our own bank statements.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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Elder millennial parents who may have trouble understanding what their kids are talking about will likely laugh along to how the comedians portray teens’ reliance on seemingly incomprehensible slang terms to communicate with each other.—
Stephanie Ganz,
Parents,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Even its star, Kim Kardashian, is leaning into the bizarre criticism, posting photos on Instagram of herself laughing along with the rest of the cast, interspersed with scathing reviews.—
Rebecca Aizin,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
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And calls like Payton’s bizarre third-and-1 trick play involving Courtland Sutton — a double pass that never came to be — aren’t helping.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Puzzling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puzzling. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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