as in perplexed
faced with difficulty or uncertainty about what to say, think, or do
baffled viewers didn't know what to make of the strange antics of the talk show host
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in frustrated
to prevent from achieving a goal
the language barrier baffled everyone and discouraged us from attempting another teleconference
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in puzzled
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
she was baffled by the wording of the clause in the insurance policy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of baffled
Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 30 Oct. 2025
Thousands of commenters responded with laughter, surprise, and sympathy for the dog’s baffled expression.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
Continue reading … YOUTH CHAOS – Sports reporter ambushed on air as bizarre teen trend leaves adults baffled.
—FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Despite Banks’ enthusiasm, commenters were left baffled.
—Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
The clear stance that the club has spent every available penny of their PSR allowance left many baffled, but the club’s accounts over the coming years will reveal all.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
And my parents are even baffled.
—Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2025
Scientific experts who constantly monitor the Earth's rotation seem a bit baffled and amused that a few slightly more-speedy-than-normal spins this summer have captured the public's imagination.
—Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 22 July 2025
But its favorite mood, by far, is one of mild titillation, which arises whenever something slightly out of the ordinary occurs—a ball flies into the crowd, a baffled bird pecks at the service line, a champagne cork enters the field of play—and a burr of chatter rips round the court.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 12 July 2025
Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 5 Jan. 2026
Scientists are also baffled by how the planet could have formed at all.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025
But many astronomers were baffled by the attention 3I/ATLAS was receiving.
—Brett Tingley, Space.com, 19 Dec. 2025
His debut collection in September received positive reviews from retailers for his colorful and audacious designs but left many observers baffled at the same time.
—Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 17 Dec. 2025
Seven years earlier, Geary portrayed Meathead's friend Roger, who baffled star Carroll O'Connor's character, infamous bigot Archie Bunker.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Dec. 2025
Ellis, 25, is a member of the Sacramento Kings and less involved than Jones on essentially an equally bad team, though the Kings' handling of Ellis and his playing time has long baffled the likes of NBA analysts such as Zach Lowe of The Ringer.
—Max Dible, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Played for comic relief, he is baffled by this son of his who attends college and, more perplexing yet, is suddenly obsessed with Italy and cycling.
—Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025
Physicists were baffled as to why this material would suddenly stop conducting current once the tellurium content reached approximately 30 percent—a change that its basic chemical composition could not explain.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
Looking aghast, Kylie couldn’t help but go silent with a baffled expression for several seconds.
—Verb
At a vigil for the two on Sunday night, friends and family were baffled by the killing, the Allentown Morning Call reported.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for baffled
Adjective
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Those late audits have caused ongoing comments by engaged residents who are perplexed that year after year the town’s government is not able to provide the same audit the state’s other 168 municipalities complete and submit to the public and the state’s budget office.—
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Pittman seemed perplexed as to what caused the seemingly uninspired performance.—
Verb
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Fans were frustrated, and a growing number were opting to stay home rather than attend key late November/December games at M&T Bank Stadium, with an AFC North title still within the Ravens’ reach.—
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But while Coogan racked up millions of views for his YouTube explainers about political figures like Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, he was frustrated by the hours of prep work that went into producing a single episode.—
Verb
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Although puzzled, Aisha answered honestly.—
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Like his wife, Moore was puzzled when their friend didn’t show up to eat dinner.—
Adjective
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Snook and Lacy, who display such sharp instincts in their best work, seem to have been directed to overact; cameras freeze on their exaggeratedly bewildered or angry or devastated expressions, putting exclamation points at the end of too many scenes.—
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Instead, a bewildered stranger answers the door.—
Verb
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This isn’t the first time injuries have hampered Norfleet.—
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All of these issues combined have left Target with a workforce that has grown faster than sales and a complex corporate structure that has hampered decision-making and created needless red tape.—
Verb
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The Farmers’ Almanac will be gone for good after its final 2026 edition, not to be confused with The Old Farmer's Almanac, a separate publication.—
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Blue Origin also launches New Shepard from Texas The New Glenn spacecraft is not to be confused with Blue Origin's much smaller New Shepard rocket that the company launches from West Texas on brief trips taking paying passengers high above Earth's atmosphere.—
Adjective
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Watching the comments together, Sadie initially felt embarrassed by the caption noting she’s never made a basket.—
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The ugly Team defense is a misnomer The following statistic should leave the Ducks thoroughly embarrassed.—
Cite this Entry
“Baffled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/baffled. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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