perplexing
adjective
per·plex·ing
pər-ˈplek-siŋ 
: difficult to understand : causing confusion
A perplexing feature of insomnia is that people seem to overestimate their sleep loss.—
Rita L. Atkinson et al.
Rita L. Atkinson et al.Chronic acalculous biliary disorders are among the most perplexing diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in medicine.—Richard M. Gore
Richard M. GoreA perplexing problem, often encountered by cat owners, is that of a refusal to use the litterbox after using it for years in the past.—Susan L. Mathews
Susan L. Mathews
perplexingly
adverb
a perplexingly complex problem
This was all that I could observe of her in the dim light and under the perplexingly strange circumstances of our meeting.
—Wilkie Collins
Wilkie Collins
Examples of perplexing in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The oven was equally perplexing.
—Jason Fried, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
It’s been part of a perplexing trend this season for Peterson, who has missed 10 full games and notable portions of 10 others with nagging injuries.
—Justin Williams, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Hippocrates bases his explanation of epilepsy, that most perplexing of illnesses, on observation.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
The change is perplexing to health experts nationally and in Wisconsin, which ranks among the worst states for excessive drinking, and where alcohol contributes to more than 3,000 deaths each year.
—Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for perplexing
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Jason Fried, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
It’s been part of a perplexing trend this season for Peterson, who has missed 10 full games and notable portions of 10 others with nagging injuries.
—Justin Williams, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Hippocrates bases his explanation of epilepsy, that most perplexing of illnesses, on observation.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
The change is perplexing to health experts nationally and in Wisconsin, which ranks among the worst states for excessive drinking, and where alcohol contributes to more than 3,000 deaths each year.
—Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for perplexing
Cite this Entry
“Perplexing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perplexing. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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