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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in inexplicable
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2
as in perplexing
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of puzzling
Charlotte Observer, 16 Aug. 2025
However, other observations of IGR J17091-3624 don't seem to match that picture, leaving scientists with a puzzling contradiction.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Chris Lehmann, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
The Volvo went on puzzling trips every month, according to the electronic highway tolling system.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puzzling
Verb
And while the game’s results won’t matter much for the upcoming season, quarterback Bryce Young’s short afternoon workload (just two unsuccessful series) offered a puzzling entry in what has been an otherwise strong summer for the third-year passer.
—Charlotte Observer, 16 Aug. 2025
However, other observations of IGR J17091-3624 don't seem to match that picture, leaving scientists with a puzzling contradiction.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
That position is especially puzzling given how a robust impeachment effort stands to alter the prevailing political landscape.
—Chris Lehmann, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
The Volvo went on puzzling trips every month, according to the electronic highway tolling system.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puzzling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puzzling
Verb
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That’s baffling to me that it was even checked.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The site compiles information about the 196 seemingly inexplicable events over the history of the church related to the Eucharist, which the faithful believe is the body of Christ.—
Jessie Wardarski,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
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And the book’s bracingly straightforward descriptions of often inexplicable behaviors and thought processes, become the hard, stark edges of a sculptural black-and-white photography that is all the more mysterious for apparently having nothing to hide.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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For nearly five decades, NASA's twin Voyager probes have plumbed the cosmos in search of answers to some of astronomy's most perplexing mysteries about our solar system and its place in the wider universe.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
8 Sep. 2025
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The justice character dimension has been perplexing to people.—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 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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With the head of the Demon Corps in danger, Tanjiro and the Hashira rush to the headquarters but are plunged into a deep descent to a mysterious space by the hands of Muzan Kibutsuji.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Beyond this, the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton X-Ray observatory also studied this spiral galaxy repeatedly and found mysterious regions known as ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs).—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Tuesday will go down as one of Boston’s most confounding losses of the season, a 4-3 defeat in 11 innings to the Baltimore Orioles in which the club went 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Since its creation in 2007, only about 2% of applicants had successfully received forgiveness before the pandemic, largely due to confusing eligibility rules and administrative mismanagement.—
Leadership Brainery,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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Beneficiaries would have to verify their own identities by using an often-confusing web portal or by traveling to a field office to do it in person.—
Eli Hager,
ProPublica,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In fact, the movie isn’t really scary at all — just extremely weird, as well as increasingly incomprehensible toward the end.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
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Then there’s an incomprehensible scene in which Stuhlbarg’s Frederik storms in and out of the kitchen angrily, having turned his music up to an unlistenable volume, while Alma and Maggie—a guest in their home that evening—try to have a serious conversation.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Puzzling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puzzling. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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