perplexed

American

[per-plekst] / pərˈplɛkst /

adjective

bewildered; puzzled.

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

Other Word Forms

perplexedly adverb
perplexedness noun
self-perplexed adjective
unperplexed adjective

Etymology

Origin of perplexed

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English perplex “confused,” from Latin perplexus ( 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.

The 27-year-old Kelly was furious with the 49th-minute decision, booting a wall in the tunnel on his exit, while manager Luciano Spalletti wore a perplexed look on the sidelines.

From BBC • Feb. 25, 2026

Another former employee, who gave her name only as Wong, said she felt unhappy and perplexed on the day the Apple Daily closed.

From Barron's • Feb. 9, 2026

There are anomalies in the labor market, which are leaving people like your son feeling perplexed.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 15, 2025

If it succeeds, Axiom might just crack problems that have perplexed mere humans for centuries.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025

And then the way I identify myself leaves some people perplexed: Black but Muslim.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023