as in to perplex
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
we were mystified by the sudden changes in the tax code
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Recent Examples of mystify
Haotong Li of China shot 69 and was four behind, still mystified by topping a fairway metal that raced into the pond in front of the 15th green.
—
Doug Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 12 Apr. 2026
There’s no better example of how DeLauter has mystified teammates, coaches and Cleveland fans than his opposite-field homer in Seattle on March 28.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2026
There are few people in the world who know the mystifying experience of being a child star as well as Brandy.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
And then there’s the mystifying whiff of slop.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mystify
Doug Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 12 Apr. 2026
There’s no better example of how DeLauter has mystified teammates, coaches and Cleveland fans than his opposite-field homer in Seattle on March 28.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2026
There are few people in the world who know the mystifying experience of being a child star as well as Brandy.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
And then there’s the mystifying whiff of slop.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mystify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mystify
Verb
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As Season 3 of Euphoria continues to stir up some controversy, one of the show’s stars is perplexed by Cassie’s (Sydney Sweeney) OnlyFans storyline.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2026
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Baer appeared perplexed by this coy pretense of innocence.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Old luggage barcode stickers can confuse airline systems and increase the risk of bags being misrouted or delayed.—
Joey Skladany,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Apr. 2026
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Directness is often confused with insensitivity.—
Jonathan Alpert OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Netizens were bewildered by the latest pivot, resulting in plenty of mockery on social media.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
16 Apr. 2026
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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
Verb
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Captain Sidney Crosby was similarly baffled.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
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The hosts are baffled and intrigued.—
Maddie Connors,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The mass unemployment everyone feared is still missing Initial jobless claims rose to 214,000 in the most recent week surveyed but the overall trend remains down and Wall Street is slightly puzzled as to why.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
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The mu- and nu-rings are especially puzzling.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Expecting to catch their limit this week, the Dodgers were instead befuddled by the Miami Marlins, who had most of the answers from the mound and just enough from the plate.—
Doug Padilla,
Oc Register,
29 Apr. 2026
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This description recalls what leadership expert Jason Wild previously told Fortune about how AI tools are probabilistic, befuddling managers everywhere.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mystify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mystify. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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