perplexed

American

[per-plekst] / pərˈplɛkst /

adjective

bewildered; puzzled.

a perplexed state of mind.
complicated; involved; entangled.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of perplexed

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English perplex “confused,” from Latin perplexus ( see per-, complex) + -ed ²

Explanation

Use the adjective perplexed to describe someone who is utterly baffled or confused. If you've ever studied for the wrong test and been surprised and confused by the exam in front of you, you've been perplexed. There's a particular bewildered kind of facial expression that goes along with the word perplexed. It's the kind of emotion that's hard to disguise. The Latin root perplexus means "confused or entangled," and "entangled" is a great way to imagine the tangled thoughts and confusion of someone who's perplexed.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Hellenists like myself have been delighted by this upsurge of Greek drama but also perplexed by the dominance of a single playwright and a single set of myths.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

The perplexed faces of the agency people in those conference rooms feel familiar to me today.

From Slate • Apr. 23, 2026

When Tamjidi told some older customers about the silent reading party, she said they were perplexed, asking, “Wait, so they would come and sit with each other, not talk, but just read silently?”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026