as in mystery
something hard to understand or explain
the final fate of the colonists at Roanoke remains a puzzle to this very day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to baffle
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
it is the cause of the disease that puzzles doctors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of puzzle
Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Looking for a free mini puzzle?
—Charles Singh, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Sep. 2025
Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
Tyler, the Creator has turned 2025’s Camp Flog Gnaw announcement into a puzzling quest.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puzzle
Noun
Below you’ll find an extra set of hints, the categories for each group and, finally, the solution to today’s puzzle.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Looking for a free mini puzzle?
—Charles Singh, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
Younger music fans might be puzzled by high demand for tickets for Oasis; the British band had its biggest hits in the 1990s.
—Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
Tyler, the Creator has turned 2025’s Camp Flog Gnaw announcement into a puzzling quest.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puzzle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puzzle
Noun
-
These fossils are now helping to solve a mystery in paleontology.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Sep. 2025
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At the baseline, that means making sure not to let the trash can overflow and instead taking it out often, as well as ensuring spots like your trash can, sink disposal, or fridge are free of any mystery odors.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The result is a set of policies that has baffled some China experts, or at least raised questions about the president’s stance on America’s friendly rival.—
Christian Datoc,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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In the last few years, researchers have stumbled upon baffling signals from deep space, uncovered strange features hiding beneath our oceans, and found clues that hint at life’s secrets on other worlds.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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For nearly 20 years, astronomers have been perplexed by the strange disk of dust and debris circling Fomalhaut, a bright star just 25 light-years from Earth.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Sep. 2025
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Many historians have been perplexed by how such a seemingly simple man as Shakespeare could have written works of such grandeur and depth.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Yes, God confuses the language and scatters everyone, thereby creating linguistic and cultural diversity.—
John Fugelsang
September 12,
Literary Hub,
12 Sep. 2025
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At one point, O’Steen was confused by a question, and the resulting back-and-forth was reminiscent of an Abbott and Costello repartee.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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And aren’t our real-life romantic complications bewildering enough?—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
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Its ginormous investments in higher-value, tech-heavy sectors from smartphones to autos to semiconductors to biotechnology are disrupting the global landscape at bewildering speed.—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Puzzle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puzzle. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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