puzzled
adj.feeling confused because you do not understand something. You use this when you are trying to solve a problem or understand a situation that does not make sense.
adj.feeling or showing confusion or perplexity. Often used predicatively after linking verbs such as 'look', 'seem', or 'feel'.
“She looked puzzled when I told her the news.”
“The detective had a puzzled expression as he examined the locked room for any signs of entry.”
“Economists remain puzzled by the sudden shift in consumer behavior, as traditional models failed to predict such a rapid decline in spending despite rising wages.”
Often followed by the prepositions 'by' or 'at' to indicate the cause of confusion.
Learners often confuse the participial adjective 'puzzled' (the feeling) with the present participle 'puzzling' (the thing causing the feeling).
“Russell Garwood, Paleontologist at The University of Manchester, added: " Praearcturus has puzzled us paleontologists for more than a century.”