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

266 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

B

to beat

vsto mystify

• Informal

190 7.0

To be too difficult for someone to understand

adds a mysterious or unexplained quality that blocks understanding

P

to puzzle

vsto mystify

73 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

65 5.3

To make someone very confused and unable to understand

creates confusion by adding mystery rather than mere puzzlement

S

to stump

vsto mystify

39 5.3

To make someone unable to answer a question

creates bafflement by making the subject mysterious rather than merely hard

P

to perplex

vsto mystify

35 6.3

To make someone confused and unable to understand

works through mysteriousness rather than only causing general uncertainty

B

to bewilder

vsto mystify

29 5.3

Make someone very confused and unable to think clearly

adds a sense of mystery rather than simple puzzlement

C

to confound

vsto mystify

22 7.0

Make someone unable to think clearly

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

D

to dumbfound

vsto mystify

17 7.0

To surprise someone so much that they cannot speak or answer

causes confusion by mystery not by shock or astonishment

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

B

to befuddle

vsto mystify

11 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 bemuse

vsto mystify

11 7.5

To make someone feel confused or unable to understand

creates confusion through mysteriousness rather than gentle puzzlement

S

to stupefy

vsto mystify

9 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

7 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

D

to discombobulate

vsto mystify

• Informal

6 9.9

To confuse someone so they cannot think clearly

creates confusion by making things mysterious rather than just disorienting

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

F

to fox

vsto mystify

8.9

To confuse someone so they cannot think clearly

relies on making things mysterious rather than trickery to confuse

N

to nonplus

vsto mystify

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

G

to gravel

vsto mystify

• Archaic

9.9

To annoy or puzzle someone

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

Antonyms

E

to explain

∞ 1.0

To make something clear by describing it in simple words

C

to clarify

248 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

65 5.3

to mystify

28 6.5

to perplex

35 6.3

to confuse

266 1.9

to puzzle

73 4.9

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology