puzzlement

noun

ˈpə-zəl-mənt How to pronounce puzzlement (audio)
Definition of puzzlementnext
1
as in confusion
a state of mental uncertainty her explanation did little to relieve his puzzlement

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mystery
something hard to understand or explain the whole situation remains a puzzlement to everyone who was there

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of puzzlement And that’s led to understandable puzzlement and furious assumptions in reaction to ESPN’s report Tuesday citing four anonymous sources saying Belichick won’t be part of the Hall of Fame’s class of 2026 when it’s announced next week. — Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 28 Jan. 2026 Even though Davis was six years older than Dončic at the time of the trade and had a more extensive injury history, Harrison defended his decision amid overwhelming backlash and puzzlement from Mavs fans as the deal rippled throughout the sport. — Christian Clark, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025 Trump’s fondness for Putin has long been clear, and also a subject of much puzzlement. — Kim Lane Scheppele, Time, 6 Nov. 2025 His efforts are met with puzzlement by everyone but the children. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for puzzlement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puzzlement
  1. confusion
  2. mystery
  3. fog
  4. bewilderment
Noun
  • Clear terms keep care from turning into confusion later on today.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The confusion comes from treating two different problems as one.
    — Dr. Aditya Vikram Kashyap, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of confusion
Noun
  • Joe Conti, an independent researcher and physics enthusiast based in Massachusetts, is inviting eclipse observers across Iceland and Spain to capture the optical mystery on their smartphones as part of a citizen science project.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Avoiding a court case also helped keep the the reason behind their breakup a mystery, though both have since hinted that the burden of fame and the constant pressure of being in the spotlight were more than the couple could bear.
    — Francesca Pellegrini, Vanity Fair, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of mystery
Noun
  • As his mind retreats to the hues of old movies, Charlotte breaks the fog with a glimmer of humanity.
    — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Forecasts show temperatures reaching highs in the 90s throughout the remainder of the week, in addition to isolated thunderstorms, fog and showers.
    — Kaitlyn McCormick, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of fog
Noun
  • After an exceptionally long pause, during which Affleck looked around the room in bewilderment, a drum roll signaled their victory.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 30 July 2026
  • Researchers who received the letter from AHRQ Director Roger Klein expressed bewilderment because much of their work has the same objectives that Klein highlighted as the agency’s current priorities.
    — Arthur Allen, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
Definition of bewilderment

Browse Nearby Words

puzzled (out)
puzzlement
puzzlements
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Cite this Entry

“Puzzlement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puzzlement. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of puzzlement for Spanish Speakers

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