baffled
Americanadjective
-
bewildered or perplexed; puzzled.
I went to bed shaking my head, completely baffled and amazed at the strange turn the day had taken.
-
equipped with one or more baffles, or structures to obstruct the movement of fluids, sound, etc..
Any spraying operations shall be done within a baffled or enclosed area of the solvent cleaning machine.
-
thwarted.
“Every anarchist is a baffled dictator,” wrote Mussolini.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of baffled
Explanation
When you're baffled, you're confused or perplexed. Being baffled is being befuddled, bewildered, confounded, or mixed up. If you're baffled, you can't understand something. Some people are baffled by math; others are baffled by things celebrities do. Some are baffled at why anyone would care what celebrities do. Sometimes when you're baffled, you genuinely can't figure something out, and other times, you just disapprove. For example, a teacher could say, "I'm baffled that you missed the test!" As long as the world is full of odd things, we'll all spend part of our lives baffled.
Vocabulary lists containing baffled
Similes from Top AP English Exam Novels
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
A Long Way Gone
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Beowulf vocabulary
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
For seven decades, the Eurovision Song Contest -- which gathers performers from across Europe and further afield, selected by each country's public broadcasting service -- has delighted and, at times, baffled spectators.
From Barron's • May 16, 2026
For a brief moment, it’s a sweet, cozy scenario, even though their friends are baffled by the new connection.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026
Which is precisely why the models are perpetually baffled by the Brewers.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026
She explained aspirin played a critical role for millions of patients with cardiovascular conditions and was baffled at the shortage which has been ongoing since late last year.
From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026
But once we'd torn open the boxes, my sisters and I gave each other baffled looks.
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
