verb
- Be a mystery or bewildering to.
- usage: "This beats me"; "Got me-I don't know the answer"; "a vexing problem"; "This question really stuck me"
- Be uncertain about; think about without fully understanding or being able to decide.
- usage: "We puzzled over her sudden departure"
- synonyms: puzzle
adjective
- Not clear to the understanding.
- usage: "I didn't grasp the meaning of that enigmatic comment until much later"; "prophetic texts so enigmatic that their meaning has been disputed for centuries"
- synonyms: enigmatic, enigmatical
- Lacking clarity of meaning; causing confusion or perplexity.
- usage: "sent confusing signals to Iraq"; "perplexing to someone who knew nothing about it"; "a puzzling statement"
- synonyms: confusing, perplexing
WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University
| APA | WordNet. (2010). puzzling. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/puzzling/definitions/1181722 |
| Chicago | WordNet. 2010. "puzzling" http://smartdefine.org/puzzling/definitions/1181722 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
| Harvard | WordNet 2010, puzzling, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/puzzling/definitions/1181722>. |
| MLA | WordNet. "puzzling" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/puzzling/definitions/1181722> |