ENGLISH
REFERENCE

baffling

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈbæfəɫɪŋ// UK //bˈæflɪŋ// baf·fling

adj. extremely confusing and impossible to understand. You use this when something is so strange or complicated that you cannot find an explanation for it.

adj. impossible to understand; causing extreme confusion or perplexity. Often used to describe complex problems, strange behavior, or inexplicable events.


SIMPLE

The instructions for this game are completely baffling.

CONTEXTUAL

Detectives found the lack of evidence at the crime scene baffling, as there were no signs of forced entry.

COMPLEX

The sudden collapse of the ancient civilization remains a baffling mystery to archaeologists, who have found no evidence of war, famine, or natural disaster to explain the exodus.

Synonyms
Usage

Often follows a linking verb like 'be', 'seem', or 'find'.

© 2026 English Reference