as in baffled
faced with difficulty or uncertainty about what to say, think, or do
the convoluted instructions for calibrating a high-definition television will leave many consumers utterly perplexed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in complicated
to make complex or difficult
let's not perplex the issue further with irrelevant concerns
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in puzzled
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
the question perplexed me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of perplexed
Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 1 Mar. 2026
The country’s overall box office has deteriorated sharply, with average weekly grosses falling to levels that have perplexed exhibitors and analysts alike.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026
She also was perplexed at the city’s inaction while noting a new leader offers a fresh perspective.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for perplexed
Adjective
Last Sunday, the broadcast showed a perplexed, annoyed Wells who thought his team went missing.
—Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 1 Mar. 2026
The country’s overall box office has deteriorated sharply, with average weekly grosses falling to levels that have perplexed exhibitors and analysts alike.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
Clark and his wife Eimy (Wynn Everett, in a role whose underwriting has me perplexed thus far) come over to Floyd’s house for BBQ and cornhole, and there are clear sparks between Clark and Carol.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026
She also was perplexed at the city’s inaction while noting a new leader offers a fresh perspective.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for perplexed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perplexed
Adjective
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But some children—Hazel, Evan, and, of course, Jude—baffled Lilian.—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Emotional rollercoasters for baffled European allies.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Israel’s assassination campaign sometimes complicated Chalker’s attempts to recruit defectors.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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That’s because the EV ownership affordability equation is complicated — starting with the price of the car itself.—
Personal Finance Columnist,
San Francisco Chronicle,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The remains of these unknown creatures often puzzled their discoverers.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
25 Mar. 2026
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This has puzzled researchers because lithium metal is soft, while the ceramic electrolytes used in these batteries are rigid.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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There was no punchline, no twist — just the straightforward, slightly bewildered observation that someone, somewhere, had performed surgery on a grape.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
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Exasperated, bewildered, and realizing other musicians were also dealing with this, Bender came up with a way to show just how porous the system was.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Former head coach Brian Daboll’s charge to the medical tent and behavior towards one of the Giants’ doctors also embarrassed the team.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
23 Mar. 2026
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Tonight’s ceremony had none of the major dramatic mishaps that have both embarrassed the Academy Awards’ organizers and affirmed the event’s status as must-see live TV.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And now New Idea is reporting that Baker’s ex, Rebecca Rigg, who is very close to Kidman, is a bit confused by the situation.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
30 Mar. 2026
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In addition, DraftKings argues that consumers aren’t confused by DraftKings’ use of March Madness.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Notably, Christoph Waltz appears as a maddeningly nonplussed priest tasked with hunting the titular vampire.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 Feb. 2026
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In a brief phone interview, a worker at Unique Bite Eatery in Indio appeared nonplussed and said there was no damage at the restaurant.—
Andrew Khouri,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Perplexed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perplexed. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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