flummox

verb

ˈflə-məks How to pronounce flummox (audio)
Definition of flummoxnext
as in to perplex
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty an actor who's easily flummoxed by any changes in the script

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 flummox Christian Petersen / Getty Images San Antonio’s defense once again flummoxed the Thunder. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 29 May 2026 The Celtics were flummoxed by Robinson during the 2025 Eastern Conference Semifinals. — Tom Rende, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 His injuries facilitate his regeneration into the younger McGann model, via a lengthy hospital sequence in which the medical staff is appropriately flummoxed by his two hearts. — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 14 May 2026 Defensive struggles against the Joel Embiid/Tyrese Maxey pick-and-roll, which has flummoxed Boston’s bigs since Embiid’s mid-series return. — Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for flummox
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flummox
  1. perplex
  2. bewilder
  3. baffle
  4. confuse
  5. puzzle
  6. befuddle
Verb
  • And Wednesday’s doubleheader — thanks to a Monday rainout that perplexed Counsell — certainly didn’t help the pitching staff.
    — Sean Hammond, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026
  • Sometimes those editing swings make sense, like incorporating more social-media posts and group chats, but other times the stylistic choices simply perplex.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 25 June 2026
Definition of perplex
Verb
  • For three years straight, he’s kept up a pace that bewilders the industry’s leading comics.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 17 June 2026
  • The narrator and his wife find that their attachment to the charismatic and cryptic Chibi grows with the cat’s increasing visits, in a way that bewilders them but somehow bonds them closer together.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 June 2026
Definition of bewilder
Verb
  • His focus on the voting bill, instead of signing one that tackles a top issue for voters, has left some GOP strategists baffled.
    — David Hickey, NBC news, 2 July 2026
  • Keith played conservative social climber Margo Leadbetter, who is baffled by her neighbor Tom's sustainability-centric lifestyle with wife Barbara Good (Felicity Kendal).
    — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 29 June 2026
Definition of baffle
Verb
  • That is important because a boxy robotaxi that can drive both ways may confuse pedestrians, cyclists or other drivers.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • One of the biggest mistakes students make is confusing a loan approval with an affordability recommendation.
    — Scott White, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of confuse
Verb
  • Stock Chart IconStock chart icon Gold not glittering As for gold, while the yellow metal has traditionally been sought out by kings and paupers throughout history alike, the anaemic gold price has puzzled experts.
    — Lim Hui Jie,Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 July 2026
  • When Hilary Streever relayed the agents' message to David, he was puzzled.
    — Jude Joffe-Block, NPR, 1 July 2026
Definition of puzzle
Verb
  • The 1,000-person guest list was impressive, expansive and, occasionally, befuddling.
    — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • But behind closed doors, grievances are simmering over programming, budgets, and dueling marketing campaigns that befuddled the American public.
    — Philip Wang, Time, 29 June 2026
Definition of befuddle

Browse Nearby Words

flumes
flummox
flummoxed
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Cite this Entry

“Flummox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flummox. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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