# perplexing

/pɝˈpɫɛksɪŋ/ (US) · /pəplˈɛksɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/perplexing
Updated: 2026-05-19

## Definition

causing great confusion or making you feel puzzled. You use this to describe a situation or a person that is very hard to understand.

For teachers: causing great confusion or puzzlement; difficult to understand or explain. Often used to describe complex problems or mysterious behavior.

## Examples

- The scientist found the results perplexing.
- The sudden change in the weather was perplexing to the local farmers who had no warning.
- The detective was left with a perplexing mystery after the witness provided a statement that contradicted all the physical evidence collected at the scene.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.