as in perplexing
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in thwarting
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1
as in frustrating
to prevent from achieving a goal
the language barrier baffled everyone and discouraged us from attempting another teleconference
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in puzzling
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
she was baffled by the wording of the clause in the insurance policy
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of baffling
Sara Netzley, EW.com, 21 Dec. 2024
Other than Notre Dame’s baffling performances in the Cayman Islands against TCU and Utah, the Big 12 didn’t have many marquee victories in nonconference play.
—Sabreena Merchant, The Athletic, 20 Jan. 2025
This decision is a baffling swerve for a celebrity biopic, one that will probably keep it from becoming an out-and-out sensation.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 14 Jan. 2025
Bo Nix’s resilience, and some baffling choices, on display in Cincinnati.
—Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 28 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for baffling 
Adjective
Even more baffling was the introduction of the supernatural in season 2.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 21 Dec. 2024
Other than Notre Dame’s baffling performances in the Cayman Islands against TCU and Utah, the Big 12 didn’t have many marquee victories in nonconference play.
—Sabreena Merchant, The Athletic, 20 Jan. 2025
This decision is a baffling swerve for a celebrity biopic, one that will probably keep it from becoming an out-and-out sensation.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 14 Jan. 2025
Bo Nix’s resilience, and some baffling choices, on display in Cincinnati.
—Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 28 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for baffling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for baffling
Adjective
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Every little facet of their lives becomes a perplexing anthropological study, an affirmation to older people that youth is wasted on the young.—
Alex Abad-Santos,
Vox,
7 Feb. 2025
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Equally perplexing, the president’s tax plan ignores the well-being of these same families and their children.—
Bruce Fuller,
Baltimore Sun,
6 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Researchers are particularly focused on unraveling the puzzling interplay between gas content, magma pressure and lava flow dynamics.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
3 Jan. 2025
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Almost two years into his ordeal, Gould learned of an initiative at the National Institutes of Health that focuses on solving the country’s most puzzling medical cases.—
Jason Liebowitz,
The Atlantic,
2 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The meeting created a lot of anxiety and frustration in the Ukrainian government, which is concerned about a U.S.-Russian deal behind Kyiv's back.—
Barak Ravid,
Axios,
16 Feb. 2025
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But as Dougherty Valley continued to miss shots, the frustration started to show.—
Nathan Canilao,
The Mercury News,
16 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Citing a need to send a strong message of deterrence to other police officers, and noting the racial aspects of a case involving a White officer and Black victim, Houston sentenced LaRoche to 15 months in federal prison, nearly double what prosecutors recommended.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Feb. 2025
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That deterrence failed spectacularly on October 7, 2023.—
Jane Harman,
TIME,
9 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Tied 1-1 midway through the second period against a Finland team frustrating and stifling the Americans, head coach Mike Sullivan swapped Kyle Connor with Brady Tkachuk on a line with Matthew Tkachuk and Jack Eichel.—
Pierre LeBrun,
The Athletic,
14 Feb. 2025
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Unfortunately, the setup process is frustrating compared with the competition, as are the site-building tools.—
Robert Anderson,
PCMAG,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Chess champion Magnus Carlsen pulled off a sartorial checkmate after returning to a recent tournament despite wearing an article of clothing banned by its dress code: jeans.—
Danielle Jennings,
People.com,
30 Dec. 2024
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When the Los Angeles Lakers assigned Danny Green to defend Porziņģis in a 2019 matchup, the man in charge of the Dallas Mavericks’ advanced analytics, Bob Voulgaris, recognized his team staring at a likely checkmate.—
Jay King,
The Athletic,
10 Apr. 2024
Adjective
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Sterling is both a blank slate, a character beginning a new phase of his life, and someone who’s facing a bewildering number of options, including sticking around, leaving town or returning to a life of crime.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
4 Feb. 2025
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That car heist unleashed a bewildering series of encounters.—
Todd Miller, contributor,
CNBC,
3 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Emily Keeney Dated or disorganized houses become functional, fresh homes in the hands of Drift Interiors + Architecture.—
Elizabeth Stamp,
Architectural Digest,
10 Feb. 2025
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To mix metaphors as badly as this doc overcomplicates Combs’ case by tackling the topic too early and from too many angles, this research is so disorganized that the story resembles something akin to deranged lobbyists throwing spaghetti at the wall through a shotgun.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
13 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near baffling
Cite this Entry
“Baffling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/baffling. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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