to mystify

Examples

• All

• Otherwise erudite and insightful authors commit such basic geographical errors that they can only mystify their readers.

  Academic text (2000)

• The magician's tricks always mystify the audience, leaving them wondering how he did it.

• Well, that is the question that has mystified people from generation to generation.

  Unbroken: Path to Redemption (2018)

• What you're about to see will mystify you.

  Hop (2011)

• Seriously, I am mystified because it always starts out so well.

  How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)

• I continue to be mystified by this human concept of fitting in.

  Foe Paws (2000)

• So, yeah, that's one thing that always mystifies me about this big push to ban books.

• The result was that my grades on these flash quizzes were uncharacteristically poor, mystifying my teacher.

  Academic text (2007)

• The country was titillated, captivated, mystified, and enthralled by the Astral Egg.

  Fiction book (1998)

• Nearby, VICKI shoots a highly quizzical look at BRUCE, who responds with a mystified shrug.

  Fiction book (1992)

Synonyms

C

to confuse

vsto mystify

152 1.9

Make someone unable to think clearly or make something hard to understand

adds an element of mystery or unexplained difficulty to that unclear state

S

to stump

vsto mystify

42 5.3

To make someone unable to answer a question

creates bafflement by making the subject mysterious rather than merely hard

P

to puzzle

vsto mystify

30 4.9

To make someone feel confused when something is hard to understand

does more by making the situation feel mysterious and hard to explain

B

to baffle

vsto mystify

25 5.3

To make someone very confused and unable to understand

creates confusion by adding mystery rather than mere puzzlement

B

to beat

vsto mystify

• Informal

22 7.0

To be too difficult for someone to understand

adds a mysterious or unexplained quality that blocks understanding

C

to confound

vsto mystify

20 7.0

Make someone unable to think clearly

leans on mystery and unexplained aspects as the main cause of confusion

O

to obfuscate

vsto mystify

• Formal

17 9.1

To make facts or information unclear on purpose

creates confusion by making things mysterious rather than purposely hiding them

P

to perplex

vsto mystify

6 6.3

To make someone confused and unable to understand

works through mysteriousness rather than only causing general uncertainty

B

to befuddle

vsto mystify

4 7.8

To make someone very confused so they cannot think clearly

uses unexplained mystery to block understanding rather than just muddle thought

B

to bewilder

vsto mystify

3 5.3

Make someone very confused and unable to think clearly

adds a sense of mystery rather than simple puzzlement

D

to discombobulate

vsto mystify

• Informal

2 9.9

To confuse someone so they cannot think clearly

creates confusion by making things mysterious rather than just disorienting

S

to stupefy

vsto mystify

2 7.9

To make someone unable to think or react after a very strong shock

creates inability to understand by mystery rather than by shock

F

to flummox

vsto mystify

2 8.6

To confuse someone so they do not know what to do or think

creates confusion by making things seem mysterious rather than only overwhelming

B

to bemuse

vsto mystify

1 7.5

To make someone feel confused or unable to understand

creates confusion through mysteriousness rather than gentle puzzlement

V

to vex

vsto mystify

1 7.7

To confuse someone by making something hard to understand

acts by making things actively mysterious rather than only puzzling

D

to dumbfound

vsto mystify

1 7.0

To surprise someone so much that they cannot speak or answer

causes confusion by mystery not by shock or astonishment

F

to fox

vsto mystify

1 8.9

To confuse someone so they cannot think clearly

relies on making things mysterious rather than trickery to confuse

G

to gravel

vsto mystify

• Archaic

1 9.9

To annoy or puzzle someone

focuses on making things mysterious and hard to explain rather than irritation

N

to nonplus

vsto mystify

1 9.4

Surprise and confuse a person so they do not know what to do

creates confusion through mysterious difficulty rather than mainly by surprise

Antonyms

E

to explain

∞ 1.0

To make something clear by describing it in simple words

C

to clarify

255 3.3

To make something clear so others can understand it

D

to demystify

7 5.1

To make something easier to understand by removing mystery or confusion

How Confusing

to baffle

25 5.3

to mystify

11 6.5

to perplex

6 6.3

to confuse

152 1.9

to puzzle

30 4.9

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology