Synonyms

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

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.

As someone who believed that true love is worth fighting for, living by the words that nothing worth having comes easy, I felt perplexed.

From Los Angeles Times

We see the brothers standing in the center, unharmed; the flames reaching out to afflict everyone around them; and the observers on high looking perplexed.

From The Wall Street Journal

The dreams perplexed and somewhat scared Equihua, who couldn’t figure out what they might mean.

From Los Angeles Times

The perplexed look on her face instantly confirmed the faux pas.

From The Wall Street Journal

When Anna was planning her first visit to Xinjiang in 2015, her friends were perplexed.

From BBC

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