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View synonyms for baffle

baffle

[ baf-uhl ]

verb (used with object)

, baf·fled, baf·fling.
  1. to confuse, bewilder, or perplex:

    He was baffled by the technical language of the instructions.

  2. to frustrate or confound; thwart by creating confusion or bewilderment.
  3. to check or deflect the movement of (sound, light, fluids, etc.).
  4. to equip with a baffle or baffles.
  5. Obsolete. to cheat; trick.


verb (used without object)

, baf·fled, baf·fling.
  1. to struggle ineffectually, as a ship in a gale.

noun

  1. something that balks, checks, or deflects.
  2. an artificial obstruction for checking or deflecting the flow of gases (as in a boiler), sounds (as in the loudspeaker system of a radio or hi-fi set), light (as in a darkroom), etc.
  3. any boxlike enclosure or flat panel for mounting a loudspeaker.

baffle

/ ˈbæfəl /

verb

  1. to perplex; bewilder; puzzle
  2. to frustrate (plans, efforts, etc)
  3. to check, restrain, or regulate (the flow of a fluid or the emission of sound or light)
  4. to provide with a baffle
  5. obsolete.
    to cheat or trick
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. Also calledbaffle boardbaffle plate a plate or mechanical device designed to restrain or regulate the flow of a fluid, the emission of light or sound, or the distribution of sound, esp in a loudspeaker or microphone
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈbaffler, noun
  • ˈbafflement, noun
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Other Words From

  • baf·fle·ment noun
  • baf·fler noun
  • baf·fling adjective
  • baf·fling·ly adverb
  • baf·fling·ness noun
  • un·baf·fling adjective
  • un·baf·fling·ly adverb
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Word History and Origins

Origin of baffle1

First recorded in 1540–50; 1910–15 baffle fordef 8; perhaps from Scots bauchle “to disgrace, treat with contempt,” equivalent to bauch ( baff ) + -le
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Word History and Origins

Origin of baffle1

C16: perhaps from Scottish dialect bachlen to condemn publicly; perhaps related to French bafouer to disgrace
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Synonym Study

See thwart.
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Example Sentences

"Some performances have baffled me and there have been times in domestic games where I have thought this is the worst Rangers team I have ever seen," he explained.

From BBC

In a new white paper published in the Journal of Physics G, Sousa and his co-authors discuss experimental anomalies in neutrino exploration that have baffled researchers.

"You were trying to get a pair of kittens for a year and a half?" he asked, looking genuinely baffled.

From Salon

“It’s just baffling to me that instead of doing the obvious – require consumers to be 21+ to purchase Hemp drinks and enforce responsible packaging that doesn’t appeal to children – Newsom just outright banned it.”

He confesses humbly to being a little skeptical, makes a big show of wanting Geller to do well, invites him to return and try again, and as Geller struggles, Carson listens, waits patiently, acts baffled.

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More About Baffle

What does baffle mean?

Baffle means to confuse, bewilder, perplex, or confound.

The word usually implies that such confusion causes someone to come to standstill—that it stumps them or makes them completely bewildered.

You might be baffled by a difficult riddle or confusing instructions. People’s strange behavior might baffle you. The term is often used in the context of experts or scientists being baffled by some newly discovered thing or phenomenon—one they can’t figure out or comprehend.

Someone or something that baffles can be described as baffling.

As a verb, baffle can also mean to deflect or regulate the movement or flow of something, such as gas or light. The word can also be used as a noun referring to a component or part that does this.

Example: This door is completely baffling! I can never figure out how to get it unlocked. 

Where does baffle come from?

The first records of the word baffle come from around the 1540s. Its origin isn’t certain, but it may derive from the Scottish bauchle, meaning “to disgrace or treat with contempt.” It may also be related to the French verb bafouer, meaning “to disgrace.”

The first records of the word baffle as a noun referring to a component that regulates or stops the flow of something come from the early 1900s. Components called baffles are used in things like boilers and wood-burning stoves to regulate the flow of heat and gas. They’re also used in speaker systems to regulate sound and in darkrooms to control the amount of light.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to baffle?

  • baffling (adjective)
  • bafflingly (adverb)
  • bafflement (noun)
  • baffler (noun)

What are some synonyms for baffle?

What are some words that share a root or word element with baffle

What are some words that often get used in discussing baffle?

 

How is baffle used in real life?

Baffle is usually used in informal contexts involving extreme confusion or things that you just can’t understand.

 

Try using baffle!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of baffle

A. bewilder
B. befuddle
C. enlighten
D. puzzle

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