puzzle
noun
a toy, problem, or other contrivance designed to amuse by presenting difficulties to be solved by ingenuity or patient effort.
puzzled
-
past participleof puzzle.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
-
past tense formof puzzle.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
puzzlenouna toy, problem, or other contrivance designed to amuse by presenting difficulties to be solved by ingenuity or patient effort.
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.
Those who don’t have a job are locked out of the growing economy as if it were a fortress, leaving them puzzled by the headlines of low unemployment and an accelerating GDP.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
Not long ago, ordering a nonalcoholic beer at Oktoberfest could draw puzzled looks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026
Their migration has long fascinated scientists, who have puzzled over how they found their way on a journey they only ever make once.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
Mars' innermost moon, Phobos, has puzzled planetary scientists for decades.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026
When asked about the pattern of upset he leaves in his wake, Eisman simply looks puzzled, even a bit wounded.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
