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

• 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

The ease and modesty present in “Marc by Sofia” sometimes seem perplexing.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

However, it has been “a little perplexing why stocks have sold off the way they have” for the most recent round of IPOs, he said.

From Barron's • Feb. 3, 2026

The 68th Grammys ceremoey provided its usual mix of endless awards, powerful speeches and perplexing performances.

From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026

The study also found a perplexing rise in unexplained illnesses.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

Those first days of school were a perplexing blur, but I remember the feeling clearly: pure misery.

From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana

Related Words

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