perplexed
- bewildered; puzzled: a perplexed state of mind.
- complicated; involved; entangled.
Origin of perplexed
perplex
- to cause to be puzzled or bewildered over what is not understood or certain; confuse mentally: Her strange response perplexed me.
- to make complicated or confused, as a matter or question.
- to hamper with complications, confusion, or uncertainty.
Origin of perplex
Synonyms
See more synonyms for perplex on Thesaurus.comExamples from the Web for perplexed
Contemporary Examples
In fact, a number of officers were perplexed that religious freedom was considered to be a serious issue within the service.
A young Martin, perplexed by this, asked his parents for an explanation.
But little has perplexed me in recent years quite so much as the supposed miracle that is Soylent.
But after the fifth consecutive call—the vibration interrupting my conversation with perplexed hosts—I politely stepped away.
The New York Times also quoted Diana Buttu, an Arab-Israeli lawyer who said she was perplexed that Kerry sounded so upbeat.
Historical Examples
He felt committed for labor; glad was he, very, yet perplexed.
Ester Ried Yet SpeakingIsabella Alden
Light of some sort began to dawn on the perplexed faces of the gentlemen.
Ester Ried Yet SpeakingIsabella Alden
"But there wasn't any shot," the perplexed and alarmed detective expostulated.
Within the LawMarvin Dana
Presently he came down again, his face looking drawn and perplexed.
ThoroughbredsW. A. Fraser
Mr. Blackwell, abashed and perplexed, returned to his companion.
Night and Morning, CompleteEdward Bulwer-Lytton
perplex
- to puzzle; bewilder; confuse
- to complicateto perplex an issue
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for perplexed
adj.
late 15c., past participle adjective; see perplex. A case of a past participle form attested centuries before the verb (perplex isn't recorded until 17c.). Related: Perplexedly; perplexedness.
perplex
v.
late 14c. as an adjective, "perplexed, puzzled, bewildered," from Latin perplexus "involved, confused, intricate;" but Latin had no corresponding verb *perplectere. The Latin compound would be per "through" (see per) + plexus "entangled," past participle of plectere "to twine, braid, fold" (see complex (adj.)).
The form of the English adjective shifted to perplexed by late 15c., probably to conform to other past participle adjectives. The verb is latest attested of the group, in 1590s, evidently a back-formation from the adjective. Related: Perplexing, which well describes the history of the word.