PUZZLING Synonyms: 214 Similar and Opposite Words

puzzling 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of puzzling

as in inexplicable

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Dissimilar Words

as in perplexing

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Dissimilar Words

puzzling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of puzzle

as in baffling

to throw into a state of mental uncertainty it is the cause of the disease that puzzles doctors

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of puzzling

Adjective

Researchers hope the effort may yield clues about dark matter as well as an equally puzzling force known as dark energy. — Adithi Ramakrishnan, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026 Yet, those teams don't make Tyler Dragon's list of the four teams that had the most puzzling offseasons. — Jim Reineking, USA Today, 6 July 2026

Verb

It's become a world of quick and easy solutions for life's puzzling issues; seemingly solving them in 45 seconds or using household remedies. — John Shumway, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026 That made the league’s scheduling decision especially puzzling. — Dan Zaksheske, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for puzzling

Recent Examples of Synonyms for puzzling

Adjective

The boring rosters, the passive-aggressive press conferences, the endless parade of mediocre seasons — cresting and falling with an inexplicable 2021 and 2026 — has been brutal to watch.

— Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026
The stakes cooled considerably the past two seasons with Michigan out of Playoff contention and Ohio State safely in the 12-team field both years (even after suffering a second loss in that inexplicable 2024 game).

— Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of inexplicable

Adjective

Bohm’s Phillies career has been sometimes frustrating, sometimes exciting, sometimes perplexing.

— Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Orbital imagery has shown that unlike its heavily cratered sibling moon, Phobos, which means fear in ancient Greek, Deimos is much smoother — and covered in a perplexing layer of dust and rubble called regolith.

— Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of perplexing

Verb

Despite some protests about a dog contributing to the game, Buddy — clad in a bright blue jersey and two pairs of basketball kicks — scores baffling basket after baffling basket, leaving the other team shocked.

— Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026
While Loathe’s baffling compositional choices may jump out first, the album’s most glaring flaw is its production.

— Patrick Lyons, Pitchfork, 16 July 2026

Definition of baffling

Adjective

Grief is one of the most confounding aspects of the human experience.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
In 2021, one year into D’Amaro’s tenure and following COVID shutdowns, Disney did away with FastPass and introduced a confounding and very costly series of pay-to-skip passes, which require timing advanced booking of limited slots in these formerly free-to-enter shorter lines.

— Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 5 Feb. 2026

Definition of confounding

Adjective

After meeting with a young, female director, who offers him the chance to play a bizarre and deeply unsympathetic character in her debut feature, Niaz leaves the audition unconvinced (and pretty offended).

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 22 Aug. 2026
Barring anything bizarre unfolding in the next few weeks, Smack will almost certainly be the Packers’ Week 1 kicker in Minnesota.

— Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026