- present participle of perplex.
perplexing
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of perplexing
Explanation
The adjective perplexing describes something it is confusing. Before you're fluent in Arabic, you may find the unfamiliar alphabet to be totally perplexing. The Latin root of perplexing is perplexus, which means involved, confused, or intricate. This root is also found in the verb perplex, or confuse. Problems are often described as perplexing, especially when several attempts to solve them are unsuccessful. You may have a perplexing decision to make, like where to go to college or whether to stay friends with a fun person who has disappointed you in some way.
Vocabulary lists containing perplexing
"Shooting an Elephant"
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Sam Shepard (1943-2017) Tribute List
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Robert Loggia (1930-2015) Tribute List
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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 mismatch between theory and observation remains one of the most perplexing problems in modern physics.
From Science Daily • Jun. 19, 2026
What might motivate Rozier to take part in such as scheme is perplexing.
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026
The Supreme Court handed down a perplexing 5–4 decision on Thursday in Hamm v.
From Slate • May 23, 2026
Paul Donovan, UBS chief economist, suggested that while the April inflation data might be perplexing, the president’s reaction was notable.
From Barron's • May 13, 2026
A string of especially perplexing breakdowns had bedeviled the lab that year, at a time when Lawrence was struggling to fill a mounting stack of orders for radioisotopes from all over the country.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
