foxing

verb

Definition of foxingnext
present participle of fox
1
as in puzzling
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty she won't be foxed by such telemarketing tricks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in outfoxing
to get the better of through cleverness no confidence man will ever fox me and get my hard-earned money

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 foxing That will require out-foxing Patriots defensive play-caller Zak Kuhr, whose pressure game plans suffocated the Chargers and Texans the past two weeks. — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foxing
  1. puzzling
  2. deceiving
  3. baffling
  4. defeating
  5. perplexing
  6. outwitting
  7. confusing
  8. outsmarting
Verb
  • Just after send time yesterday morning, the Timberwolves made a puzzling splash by trading for Hornets star LaMelo Ball.
    — Chris Branch, New York Times, 26 June 2026
  • And the performances from South Korea at the World Cup so far have been puzzling, given the talent at manager Hong Myung-bo’s disposal.
    — Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Definition of puzzling
Verb
  • Those figures, though, are a bit deceiving; infant and childhood mortality dragged them down dramatically.
    — Adam Cohen, Oklahoman, 30 June 2026
  • Appearance, though, can be deceiving, but luckily, this shed is still packed with smart features and a clever design that will keep all your belongings safe.
    — Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 29 June 2026
Definition of deceiving
Verb
  • The Illinois numbers, especially this year’s, are baffling experts.
    — Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026
  • For more than four minutes Darnold drove downfield, connecting on three of four passes, baffling the pass rushers, bleeding the clock, and by the time the Seahawks finally gave the ball back, the Rams had only 25 seconds to live.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Definition of baffling
Verb
  • The girls posted a 6-2 record at the state tournament in a field of 50 of Southern California’s top 12U teams with several extra-inning and walk-off wins, defeating multiple district champions, including San Juan Capistrano and Oxnard.
    — News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2026
  • Another democratic socialist, 29-year-old Melat Kiros, won a congressional primary in Colorado on June 30, defeating a longtime Democratic incumbent.
    — Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Definition of defeating
Verb
  • But there were also perplexing moments that punctured the gravitas of the event (even for an event built around hand-to-hand combat).
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 15 June 2026
  • That none of this has ever been clear to Gisèle is perplexing even to her.
    — Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2026
Definition of perplexing
Verb
  • Similar storm-clouds are now gathering around Sánchez, a canny politician known for outwitting his opponents.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 21 June 2026
  • Bob Markle was good at outwitting violators.
    — Dave Duffey, Outdoor Life, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of outwitting
Verb
  • One of the biggest mistakes students make is confusing a loan approval with an affordability recommendation.
    — Scott White, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Meta’s new cloud business — selling excess compute capacity to outside customers — is confusing on its face.
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of confusing
Verb
  • Selecting a college major is not an exercise in outsmarting the admissions system.
    — Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • Mosquitoes just might be outsmarting us Mosquitoes may be beating us at our own game − by making repellent attractive.
    — Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 13 June 2026
Definition of outsmarting

Browse Nearby Words

foxiness
foxing
fox-trot
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on foxing

Nglish: Translation of foxing for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about foxing

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