puzzle

1 of 2

verb

puz·​zle ˈpə-zəl How to pronounce puzzle (audio)
puzzled; puzzling ˈpə-zə-liŋ How to pronounce puzzle (audio)
ˈpəz-liŋ

transitive verb

1
: to offer or represent to (someone) a problem difficult to solve or a situation difficult to resolve : challenge mentally
also : to exert (oneself, one's mind, etc.) over such a problem or situation
they puzzled their wits to find a solution
2
archaic : complicate, entangle
3
: to solve with difficulty or ingenuity
puzzle out an answer to a riddle

intransitive verb

1
: to be uncertain as to action or choice
2
: to attempt a solution of a puzzle by guesswork or experiment
puzzle over the mystery
puzzler
ˈpə-zə-lər How to pronounce puzzle (audio)
ˈpəz-lər
noun

puzzle

2 of 2

noun

1
: the state of being puzzled : perplexity
2
a
: something that puzzles
b
: a question, problem, or contrivance designed for testing ingenuity
Choose the Right Synonym for puzzle

Verb

puzzle, perplex, bewilder, distract, nonplus, confound, dumbfound mean to baffle and disturb mentally.

puzzle implies existence of a problem difficult to solve.

the persistent fever puzzled the doctor

perplex adds a suggestion of worry and uncertainty especially about making a necessary decision.

a behavior that perplexed her friends

bewilder stresses a confusion of mind that hampers clear and decisive thinking.

a bewildering number of possibilities

distract implies agitation or uncertainty induced by conflicting preoccupations or interests.

distracted by personal problems

nonplus implies a bafflement that makes orderly planning or deciding impossible.

the remark left us utterly nonplussed

confound implies temporary mental paralysis caused by astonishment or profound abasement.

the tragic news confounded us all

dumbfound suggests intense but momentary confounding; often the idea of astonishment is so stressed that it becomes a near synonym of astound.

was at first too dumbfounded to reply

Noun

mystery, problem, enigma, riddle, puzzle mean something which baffles or perplexes.

mystery applies to what cannot be fully understood by reason or less strictly to whatever resists or defies explanation.

the mystery of the stone monoliths

problem applies to a question or difficulty calling for a solution or causing concern.

problems created by high technology

enigma applies to utterance or behavior that is very difficult to interpret.

his suicide remains an enigma

riddle suggests an enigma or problem involving paradox or apparent contradiction.

the riddle of the reclusive pop star

puzzle applies to an enigma or problem that challenges ingenuity for its solution.

the thief's motives were a puzzle for the police

Examples of puzzle in a Sentence

Verb The cause of the accident has puzzled investigators. it is the cause of the disease that puzzles doctors Noun a book of puns, riddles, and puzzles the final fate of the colonists at Roanoke remains a puzzle to this very day
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
But the production’s puzzling lack of fire (despite beautiful, lantern-rich lighting design by Isabella Byrd) originates with the good doctor himself. Naveen Kumar, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2024 Despite and also because of its puzzling inside-joke name, Trouser Press was one of the greatest music magazines in history. Jem Aswad, Variety, 18 Mar. 2024 There are some puzzling materials-science breadcrumbs wrapped throughout the AARO report. Garrett M. Graff, WIRED, 11 Mar. 2024 Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story (2019) The filmmaker’s second Bob Dylan doc is a puzzling experiment that fuses fact with fiction. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 9 Mar. 2024 When asked whether the referee would be available to discuss the puzzling decision making, as is possible in the MLS, if not FIFA, Gutierrez was told no process is in place. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2024 While star dunes are commonly found in sandy deserts worldwide, scientists have long wondered about their formation and their puzzling absence in the geological record. Mindy Weisberger, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 One such phenomenon that has puzzled academics is stomach retraction in sharks, particularly in response to capture stress and release efforts. Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 And researchers have long been puzzled by a medical mystery: Some women susceptible to recurrent UTIs experience symptoms without any signs of bacteria, or after an infection has supposedly been cleared with antibiotics. Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 1 Mar. 2024
Noun
Note: Most subscribers have some, but not all, of the puzzles that correspond to the following set of solutions for their local newspaper. USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2024 Wordle is celebrating a major milestone, as the popular online word-guessing game from the New York Times recently released its 1000th puzzle. Tim Chan, Variety, 18 Mar. 2024 Of utmost importance, though, was that the fourth piece of a still-unsolved five-part puzzle appears to be in place. Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2024 The theme’s simplicity is, notably, what makes this a perfect Monday puzzle. Sam Corbin, New York Times, 17 Mar. 2024 The answer to the puzzle has been released on the new GCHQ LinkedIn page. Jack Guy, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024 There's a fun couch co-op mode where a second player controls a spectral, gooey version of Luigi to help solve puzzles. Louryn Strampe, WIRED, 10 Mar. 2024 Elodie, like the Victorian-era detective, approaches puzzles with an inspired grit. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2024 But Take Note The puzzle pieces are small, so keep them away from younger children or siblings. Laura Lu, Ms, Parents, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'puzzle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

1582, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of puzzle was in 1582

Dictionary Entries Near puzzle

Cite this Entry

“Puzzle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puzzle. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

puzzle

1 of 2 verb
puz·​zle ˈpəz-əl How to pronounce puzzle (audio)
puzzled; puzzling -(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce puzzle (audio)
1
: to confuse the understanding of
2
: to solve with difficulty or cleverness
puzzler noun

puzzle

2 of 2 noun
1
2
a
: something that puzzles
b
: a question, problem, or device designed for testing skill or cleverness

More from Merriam-Webster on puzzle

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