Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- Perplexing; embarrassing; bewildering.
- Evidencing bewilderment or perplexity; easily bewildered or perplexed.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb Present participle of
puzzle . - adjective Difficult to
understand orexplain ;enigmatic orconfusing ;perplexing - noun Time spent
pondering something confusing.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective lacking clarity of meaning; causing confusion or perplexity
- adjective not clear to the understanding
Etymologies
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Examples
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Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, who oversees a group that was the league's No. 1 defense in 2009, used the word "puzzling."
The Jets Are Just as Confused as You Are Chris Herring 2011
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Most puzzling is how he has failed thus far to utilize his remarkable gifts for persuasion and inspiration even in regard to his own significant successes (an omission that his current town meetings are at last addressing).
Robert Brustein: Reviling Obama Robert Brustein 2010
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The indifference to Jim Crow and women's disenfranchisement is repulsive, yes, but this one is just plain puzzling:
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What future historians will find most puzzling is why its supporters wanted this jerry-rigged set of tangled lines and ill-patched sails.
Obama Nation 2010
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And, even more puzzling is the invocation of statements by Jonathan Cohen, an evidence teacher for goodness sake, based on what must be hearsay.
Discourse.net: UF Law Professor Files Sex/Race Discrimination Lawsuit 2009
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Most puzzling is how he has failed thus far to utilize his remarkable gifts for persuasion and inspiration even in regard to his own significant successes (an omission that his current town meetings are at last addressing).
Robert Brustein: Reviling Obama Robert Brustein 2010
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What's puzzling is why the rest of the world still wants to hold its money as a reserve currency.
Jeffrey Rubin: Quantitative Easing Is Just Devaluation Jeffrey Rubin 2010
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As soon as I'm done with this entry and another coffee, I have to sit down and begin puzzling it out.
Well, frell. greygirlbeast 2009
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What's puzzling is why the rest of the world still wants to hold its money as a reserve currency.
Jeffrey Rubin: Quantitative Easing Is Just Devaluation Jeffrey Rubin 2010
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And, even more puzzling is the invocation of statements by Jonathan Cohen, an evidence teacher for goodness sake, based on what must be hearsay.
Discourse.net: Updates on Sex/Race Bias Suit Against UF Law 2009
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