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
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of puzzlement
More:The puzzlement of Austin’s original city plan By 1860, buildings were increasingly being made of stone, brick or sawn boards.
—
Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 13 Feb. 2024
Barbara’s face cracked in puzzlement, as if her ability to make the sale hinged on her ability to answer this question; her siren-red lower lip jutted, a vein shivered on her forehead.
—Joshua Cohen, The New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2024
But puzzlement quickly shades into pleasure across the album’s sparse but unsparing 23 minutes: Ominous lyrics about scammers, guns, and LSD are brightened by some of Blunt’s poppiest compositions, full of swelling strings and jangling guitars.
—Pitchfork, 1 Oct. 2024
Megalopolis has been an object of curiosity, passion and puzzlement across the film and cultural landscape, first surfacing as a finished work nearly two months before its world premiere in Cannes.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for puzzlement 
Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 13 Feb. 2024
Barbara’s face cracked in puzzlement, as if her ability to make the sale hinged on her ability to answer this question; her siren-red lower lip jutted, a vein shivered on her forehead.
—Joshua Cohen, The New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2024
But puzzlement quickly shades into pleasure across the album’s sparse but unsparing 23 minutes: Ominous lyrics about scammers, guns, and LSD are brightened by some of Blunt’s poppiest compositions, full of swelling strings and jangling guitars.
—Pitchfork, 1 Oct. 2024
Megalopolis has been an object of curiosity, passion and puzzlement across the film and cultural landscape, first surfacing as a finished work nearly two months before its world premiere in Cannes.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for puzzlement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puzzlement
Noun
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The issue is Jurgens is dealing with a back injury, hence the confusion about his playing at all.—
Joel Thayer,
Newsweek,
26 Jan. 2025
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Fogelman likes to play around with time to create mysteries within otherwise straightforward narratives, and that’s how Paradise works, introducing little points of confusion and then filling in the backstory with flashbacks to flesh things out.—
Daniel Fienberg,
The Hollywood Reporter,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The rest of Severance was a chilly riot, an alienating collage of surreal imagery (goats!), puzzle-box mysteries, buffoonish characters, and tensely familiar workplace dynamics.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
17 Jan. 2025
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The ingredients are no mystery – semolina flour, water, and salt.—
Joan Gaylord,
The Christian Science Monitor,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Initially, Dury's comet hunting venture began close to home in Somerset but heavy mist and fog covered the Mendip Hills, so Dury was forced to head elsewhere.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
16 Jan. 2025
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Tomorrow through Sunday, onshore winds will return, which will raise the humidity for the Los Angeles area and bring in some coastal fog and clouds.—
Stephanie Fuerte,
NBC News,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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As for that out-of-nowhere, electric guitar-heavy bridge, which shares zero melodic or rhythmic elements with the rest of the song, Jheri curls are still being scratched in bewilderment.—
SPIN Editors,
SPIN,
21 Jan. 2025
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There will be still rocky places of frustration and meandering points of bewilderment.—
Lydia Price,
People.com,
20 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near puzzlement
Cite this Entry
“Puzzlement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puzzlement. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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