perplexing 1 of 2

perplexing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of perplex

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 perplexing
Adjective
Every little facet of their lives becomes a perplexing anthropological study, an affirmation to older people that youth is wasted on the young. Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 7 Feb. 2025 Equally perplexing, the president’s tax plan ignores the well-being of these same families and their children. Bruce Fuller, Baltimore Sun, 6 Feb. 2025 The perplexing question of Greenland illustrates the inversion of populism that Trump represents. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 4 Feb. 2025 Although perplexing from an outsider’s view in regard to a star player such as Banchero, the Magic were aware that his skills might not click in right away upon his return. Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel, 2 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for perplexing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perplexing
Adjective
  • Starting five is settling in One of the most baffling aspects of the Celtics’ six-week swoon was how poorly their preferred starting lineup was performing.
    Zack Cox, Hartford Courant, 24 Feb. 2025
  • Back in 2009, Najib thought, for some baffling reason, that Malaysia needed another state investment scheme on top of Khazanah Nasional Berhad, the real sovereign wealth fund.
    William Pesek, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Researchers are particularly focused on unraveling the puzzling interplay between gas content, magma pressure and lava flow dynamics.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025
  • Almost two years into his ordeal, Gould learned of an initiative at the National Institutes of Health that focuses on solving the country’s most puzzling medical cases.
    Jason Liebowitz, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • What’s especially frustrating to people involved in ferret conservation is that funding and staff resources were already limited heading into 2025.
    Benji Jones, Vox, 26 Feb. 2025
  • Most welcomed this move, even if the timing was frustrating.
    Louis Staples, Rolling Stone, 26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Trump’s sense of his own royalty helps explain at least some of the bewildering changes of recent days.
    Bill McKibben, The New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2025
  • All of the above is being considered in isolation without the bewildering problems of domestic politics and foreign policy.
    David Szondy, New Atlas, 6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Emily Keeney Dated or disorganized houses become functional, fresh homes in the hands of Drift Interiors + Architecture.
    Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 10 Feb. 2025
  • To mix metaphors as badly as this doc overcomplicates Combs’ case by tackling the topic too early and from too many angles, this research is so disorganized that the story resembles something akin to deranged lobbyists throwing spaghetti at the wall through a shotgun.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • For many, the frenetic nature of the firings has left them confused – and even days later – without a full accounting of their termination.
    CNN.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 19 Feb. 2025
  • Build your strategy around results Showing up to your laptop without a plan will leave you confused, tired and unsure about the next step.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • At Vintage Frills, unorganized shelves, racks bursting with thousands of random pieces, and having to browse through mountains of fast fashion clothes bought last year—that, naturally, someone threw away when trends changed—are a thing of the past.
    Grace Butler, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025
  • That, in turn, could help businesses sort through troves of messy unorganized datasets faster and find patterns and data points to help make decisions.
    Rashi Shrivastava, Forbes, 5 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • In the past, Jamil has openly discussed her own journey recovering from anorexia and disordered eating.
    Rachel Raposas, People.com, 27 Dec. 2024
  • Thus did the conservative loose cannonballs come eventually to dominate the GOP—and define our disordered political era.
    Daniel Schlozman & Sam Rosenfeld / Made by History, TIME, 10 June 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Perplexing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perplexing. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

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