as in baffling
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1
as in complicating
to make complex or difficult
let's not perplex the issue further with irrelevant concerns
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2
as in puzzling
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
the question perplexed me
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of perplexing
Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2026
In this crime thriller, a theater actor (Herbert Marshall) investigates the perplexing death of a young actress (Norah Baring).
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Apr. 2026
Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 13 Nov. 2025
But as the fearsome storm unfolded, perplexing science questions emerged, said Joshua Wadler, an associate scientist at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach who was aboard the flights on Kermit with Hazelton.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 2 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for perplexing
Adjective
Of those lowlights, Chapman’s failed attempt to steal second base was especially perplexing given his reputation as an excellent baserunner.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2026
In this crime thriller, a theater actor (Herbert Marshall) investigates the perplexing death of a young actress (Norah Baring).
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Apr. 2026
Verb
Even more than the finished show, this eerie, perplexing multi-Gaga spectacle feels like a glimpse into her subconscious.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 13 Nov. 2025
But as the fearsome storm unfolded, perplexing science questions emerged, said Joshua Wadler, an associate scientist at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach who was aboard the flights on Kermit with Hazelton.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 2 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for perplexing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perplexing
Adjective
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That number, and a whole lot of others, were just baffling.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
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One giant leap for actor/director Andy Serkis’ baffling use of free will.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Rescuers, including disaster officers and traffic police, evacuated victims and cleared the wreckage, though several were pinned inside the vehicles, complicating rescue efforts and disrupting traffic along the highway, Margono said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
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The rugged terrain of steep hills — combined with the man’s extensive Army survival training — is complicating the search.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
Verb
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But as of last month, the FDA has twice opted not to approve RP1, puzzling researchers and worrying drug developers.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
2 May 2026
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Alvarado, however, continued a puzzling trend.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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Though Hathaway’s work doesn’t make sense of the film’s confusing political turns, her fraught navigation of the personal and the political plays like a magnetic performance from a better movie.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
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Fans aren't happy with FIFA for many reasons Then there was the confusing way FIFA is selling the World Cup tickets, from using lotteries to its hard-to-understand array of seating categories.—
Rafael Nam,
NPR,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Lutnick's voluntary closed-door interview comes amid a monthslong procession of powerful people summoned before the committee, many of whom have been subjected to embarrassing revelations in the more than 3 million pages of records known as the Epstein files.—
Graham Kates,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
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The Game 4 defeat – the no-silver-lining, embarrassing 6-1 loss – left a particularly rancid taste in everyone’s mouth.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But even more than engaging the big ideas that Emma’s revelation triggers — pun somewhat intended — Lee and Borli wanted to craft an experience that would mimic its main characters’ bewildering interiority.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
6 Apr. 2026
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There aren’t many ways to earn a club’s first win better than bewildering the league’s defending champions at their place.—
Braidon Nourse,
Denver Post,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Grief is one of the most confounding aspects of the human experience.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
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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
Adjective
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Warsh believes markets have driven those rates up in response to muddled policy from the Fed, including the recent spike in inflation after Covid — but going much further back, too.—
Matt Peterson,
CNBC,
21 Apr. 2026
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This switch-up to the formula makes new episodes of The Comeback compelling to watch, even as the season’s big-picture storytelling remains a bit muddled.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Perplexing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perplexing. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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