to perplex

Examples

• All

• Tom is the only character who finds the grounds of human action genuinely perplexing.

  Academic text (2001)

• The complex puzzle began to perplex even the most experienced players.

• The diversity of its contents alone might have been enough to perplex its initial audience.

  Academic text (1998)

• Again, the bird comes down and says, You perplex me, Skillvendi.

  Gregory B. Sadler - That Philosophy Guy

• Instead, she could only stare for a perplexed moment before gathering her strength to stand up.

  Fiction book (1994)

• Yet there are historical and political reasons why the play left its 1946 audience perplexed and disappointed.

  Academic text (1999)

• As the concept of intelligence has divided and perplexed many educators and parents, interest in creativity has increased.

  Academic text (2008)

• One of the everlasting problems that perplexes scholars is the proof of God's existence.

  Fiction book (1992)

• Non-Cubans are perplexed, even angered, by the role of Cuba in public debate.

  Academic text (1998)

• The clockwork appearance of periodical cicadas in late May to mid-June has long fascinated and perplexed entomologists.

  Academic text (2002)

Synonyms

C

to confuse

vsto perplex

266 1.9

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

produces puzzlement by making ideas hard to understand

B

to beat

vsto perplex

• Informal

190 7.0

To be too difficult for someone to understand

makes things hard to understand but may not overwhelm generally

P

to puzzle

vsto perplex

73 4.9

To make someone feel confused when something is hard to understand

creates broader mental confusion and general difficulty making sense

B

to baffle

vsto perplex

65 5.3

To make someone very confused and unable to understand

causes difficulty understanding but not always a full mystery

B

to bewilder

vsto perplex

29 5.3

Make someone very confused and unable to think clearly

causes confusion but may not overwhelm thinking so much

M

to mystify

vsto perplex

28 6.5

To make someone confused by making something seem mysterious

creates confusion without adding mysterious or unexplained elements

C

to confound

vsto perplex

22 7.0

Make someone unable to think clearly

creates general difficulty understanding without focusing on surprise

B

to befuddle

vsto perplex

11 7.8

To make someone very confused so they cannot think clearly

creates confusion but usually less severe muddling than that

B

to bemuse

vsto perplex

11 7.5

To make someone feel confused or unable to understand

causes confusion but in a clearer, less dreamy way

F

to flummox

vsto perplex

7 8.6

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

causes confusion without necessarily making action impossible

D

to discombobulate

vsto perplex

• Informal

6 9.9

To confuse someone so they cannot think clearly

produces confusion but with less chaotic mental disruption

V

to vex

vsto perplex

1 7.7

To confuse someone by making something hard to understand

creates confusion mainly by making comprehension difficult rather than annoyance

N

to nonplus

vsto perplex

9.4

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

causes confusion without the strong surprise that halts reaction

Antonyms

C

to clarify

248 3.3

To make something clear so others can understand it

S

to simplify

99 2.5

Make something easier to understand or use

How Confusing

to flummox

7 8.6

to bewilder

29 5.3

to baffle

65 5.3

to perplex

35 6.3

to confuse

266 1.9

to puzzle

29 3.9

Surface Forms

Etymology