Perplex
verb
Base: perplex | Past: perplexed | Past Participle: perplexed | -ing: perplexing | 3rd person: perplexes
Definition
To confuse and worry someone because something is difficult to understand or solve.
Context Alive
The mechanic stared at the engine for the third time that morning. The strange noise continued to perplex him because nothing seemed broken. He called a colleague over, hoping a second pair of eyes might catch what he was missing.
Meanings
1 meaning
1
To Confuse and Worry Someone (Verb)
Very Common
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This meaning is about feeling confused and slightly troubled by something you can’t figure out. Imagine you get an email from a close friend, and the tone is cold and distant for no reason. It perplexes you because you can’t think of anything you did wrong. This is that mix of confusion and worry when something just doesn’t make sense. You might be perplexed by a strange decision your boss made, or a doctor could be perplexed by symptoms that don’t match any diagnosis. Or picture trying to solve a puzzle where none of the pieces seem to fit no matter what you try. The word suggests your brain is actively searching for an answer but can’t find one. ✏️ Perplex is stronger than “confuse” — it adds a layer of frustration because you really want to understand but can’t.
Vivid ExampleThe detective sat in his office staring at the case file. The suspect’s behavior continued to perplex him because the evidence pointed in two completely different directions. He rubbed his forehead and started reading the witness statements one more time.
Examples from the Street
“The instructions completely perplexed me — I had no idea where to start.”
They were so confusing that I couldn’t even begin to understand them
“What perplexes me is why nobody said anything sooner.”
The thing I find really puzzling is why everyone stayed silent for so long
“Scientists are perplexed by the sudden disappearance of the bees.”
Researchers are deeply confused and can’t explain why the bees vanished
Common Patterns
perplex somebody → cause someone to feel completely confused or puzzled
what perplexes me/us is (why/how) → used to highlight the specific thing that is deeply confusing
be/seem/look perplexed → appear deeply confused and unable to understand
completely/utterly/totally perplexed → emphasise extreme confusion with no clear answer
perplexed by something → confused and puzzled by a specific thing
perplexed expression/look/face → a facial expression that shows confusion and puzzlement
a perplexing question/problem/situation → something that is very difficult to understand or solve
find something perplexing → personally experience something as deeply confusing
it is perplexing (that/how/why) → used to describe a situation that doesn’t make logical sense
the most perplexing thing/part/aspect → the element that causes the greatest confusion
Collocations
2 collocationscompletely perplexed
totally confused and bewildered
perplex experts
confuse even the most knowledgeable people
Example Sentences
12 examples
1
The ending of the film perplexed everyone — nobody could agree on what actually happened
The final scene of the movie left the whole audience baffled — no one could work out the real meaning.
2
What perplexes me is how they managed to spend that much money in a single weekend
The thing I simply cannot wrap my head around is how they got through so much cash in just two days.
3
She stared at the maths problem with a perplexed expression, unable to find the answer
She looked at the calculation with a deeply confused face, completely stuck on how to solve it.
4
Doctors were completely perplexed by his symptoms — nothing matched any known condition
The medical team were totally stumped by what was wrong with him — his signs didn’t fit any recognised illness.
5
I find it perplexing that people still believe everything they read online
I think it’s genuinely baffling that some people accept as truth anything they come across on the internet.
6
The detective was perplexed — all the evidence pointed in different directions
The investigator was at a complete loss — every piece of proof suggested a different explanation.
7
It’s a perplexing situation — the more we investigate, the less sense it makes
It’s a truly bewildering set of circumstances — the deeper we dig, the more confusing everything becomes.
8
His decision to quit at the peak of his career perplexed fans and journalists alike
His choice to walk away when he was at the top of his game left supporters and reporters equally puzzled.
9
The most perplexing aspect of the case is that nothing was actually stolen
The single most confusing part of the whole affair is that no items were taken at all.
10
She looked perplexed when I told her the meeting had been cancelled three hours ago
She appeared completely thrown when I mentioned that the gathering had been called off much earlier that day.
Learner Examples
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Students often look perplexed when they hear a phrasal verb for the first time and realise it means something completely different from the individual words
Learners frequently appear bewildered when they first encounter a multi-word verb and discover its meaning has nothing to do with the separate parts.
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What perplexes many language learners is why English spelling and pronunciation follow completely different rules
The thing that truly baffles people studying the language is why the way words are written bears so little relation to how they are actually said.
Phrasal Verbs & Idioms
0 items
Synonyms & Antonyms
6 items
Synonymsconfuse
make unable to understand
puzzle
leave wondering
baffle
completely confuse
bewilder
make lost
Antonymsclarify
make clear
enlighten
help understand