puzzled 1 of 2

puzzled

2 of 2

verb

past tense of puzzle

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for puzzled
Adjective
  • In the two years since Tommy Elliott was killed in a mass shooting, Maryanne Elliott’s grief has, in turns, left her aghast and overwhelmed, bewildered and incapacitated, grateful and wanting to die.
    Kristina Goetz, USA Today, 13 Apr. 2025
  • In the now-viral video, the tuxedo cat crawls out from under the bed, wide-eyed and bewildered.
    Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Guthrie’s buddy Pete Seeger (Edward Norton) in visiting him, and Bob walks into the room looking quizzical.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 10 Dec. 2024
  • And there were some quizzical looks and whispers about the guy walking around the Peoria Sports Complex in restricted areas.
    Kevin Acee, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Peck and Mount stand wearing bemused grins, while Gooding displays a mysterious countenance and stylish new hairdo while casually seated.
    Jeff Spry, Space.com, 18 Mar. 2025
  • His manner with the girl is more bemused, placating.
    Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Subject to partisan litmus tests, military leaders might be wary of offering advice that contradicts the administration’s priorities.
    Risa Brooks, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2025
  • That might mean that a recession caused by the Trump administration's tariff policy would actually drive adoption of artificial intelligence by companies that have so far been wary of the tech.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The Wall Street Journal board agreed with Powell’s assessment but wasn’t surprised Trump lashed out against him.
    Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 18 Apr. 2025
  • The defensive line crop of talent in this draft is so deep don’t be surprised if all 32 teams select one at some point in the three days of this draft.
    Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • This is another reason to be cautious about forecasting tariff impacts.
    George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Collins said Republicans also need to be cautious about slashing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides food benefits to low-income families, another budget-cutting target identified by fiscal conservatives.
    Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 11 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Many people get confused by these forms which contain code and jargon that rarely offer a clear explanation of anything.
    Steve Weisman, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
  • Many were left confused as to how or why the Yankees couldn't have matched that number to bring the Gold Glove first baseman to the Bronx.
    Gord Magill, Newsweek, 21 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • During the hunt, Natalie ends up colluding with Hannah, Misty, and Van to get away from an increasingly paranoid Shauna and attempt to make contact with someone who can help them.
    Megan McCluskey, Time, 11 Apr. 2025
  • The two of them often complained behind each other’s backs, according to team and league sources, which established a paranoid environment at Ball Arena.
    Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 11 Apr. 2025
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Puzzled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puzzled. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on puzzled

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!