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perplex

per·plex

perplex

 
 
pronunciation:
pr pleks
features:
Word Combinations (verb), Grammatical Patterns, Word Parts
part of speech: transitive verb
inflections: perplexes, perplexing, perplexed
definition 1: to puzzle, confuse, or cause uncertainty in the mind of (a person).
The complicated instructions were no help at all; in fact, they only perplexed us.His current attitude perplexed her in light of the things he'd said earlier.It perplexed me that she would say such a strange thing, especially to my mother.[it + verb + smby + that + clause ] It always perplexes him when he suddenly forgets what he was going to do or say.[it + verb + smby + when + clause ]
synonyms:
bewilder, confuse, puzzle
similar words:
baffle, beat, befuddle, boggle, buffalo, confound, discombobulate, dumbfound, fog, frustrate, mislead, mystify, nonplus, pose, rattle, stump
definition 2: to complicate or confuse (a subject or situation).
The division of the rebels into factions only perplexed the situation in the war-torn nation.
synonyms:
complicate, confuse, muddle
similar words:
foul up, involve, jumble, mess up, muddy
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derivations: perplexingly (adv.), perplexer (n.)
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