as in mystery
something hard to understand or explain
the final fate of the colonists at Roanoke remains a puzzle to this very day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to baffle
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
it is the cause of the disease that puzzles doctors
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to solve
to find an answer for through reasoning
I was able to puzzle out the riddle in a fairly short time
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of puzzle
Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 18 Feb. 2025
These moments, which might read confusingly to a casual audience, come off like winks to the most dedicated Yellowjackets viewers, the ones who crave answers to the show’s puzzles.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2025
Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 23 Jan. 2025
But less than a decade later, Sante Kimes captured national attention with a pair of brutal and puzzling crimes that spanned thousands of miles.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 1 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puzzle
Noun
While both puzzles are word-based, Connections challenges users to find common themes in a set of words.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 18 Feb. 2025
These moments, which might read confusingly to a casual audience, come off like winks to the most dedicated Yellowjackets viewers, the ones who crave answers to the show’s puzzles.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2025
Verb
Doctors were puzzled, and Johnson was given a 12% chance to survive until Tate did some online research and found that her son’s case mirrored those who had been diagnosed with Vibrio vulnificus, a bacterial infection of the bloodstream that can be fatal if untreated.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 23 Jan. 2025
But less than a decade later, Sante Kimes captured national attention with a pair of brutal and puzzling crimes that spanned thousands of miles.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 1 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puzzle
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Cite this Entry
“Puzzle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puzzle. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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