perplexing

American  

[per-plek-sing] / pərˈplɛk sɪŋ /

adjective

1. puzzling or bewildering; hard to understand, figure out, or solve.

   One of the most perplexing aspects of owning a cat is trying to decipher its various body movements and meows.

   The history of the universe is one of the most perplexing subjects of all time.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• perplexingly
  adverb
• unperplexing
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of perplexing

perplex ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. )

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.

Example Sentences

Celebrity justice in the D.R. can be perplexing, and Judge José Antonio Núñez admitted as much.

From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026

The Supreme Court handed down a perplexing 5–4 decision on Thursday in Hamm v.

From Slate • May 23, 2026

And even though the shoe won’t be available to the public until later this month, it’s already perplexing the few people who have seen it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

“The Bride!” is surprising and strange, perplexing and aggravating.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026

Or—and this was the perplexing thought—had she used him?

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

Related Words

• baffling
• complicated
• confusing
• convoluted
• disconcerting
• knotty
• mysterious
• mystifying
• puzzling
• thorny
• worrying