mystify

verb

ˈmi-stə-ˌfī How to pronounce mystify (audio)
Definition of mystifynext
as in to perplex
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty we were mystified by the sudden changes in the tax code

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 mystify The longevity industry profits from mystifying the obvious, but Emanuel largely dispenses with pretense. — Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 Franz Wagner, who missed 48 games this year with that mystifying ankle injury, finally started looking like his old self with 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists. — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2026 Investigators and lawmakers on the panel were mystified as to why Eastland hadn’t ordered a large-scale evacuation over the PA system or gone cabin-to-cabin to ask girls to evacuate by foot. — Ashley Killough, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026 The film tells the story of her Hungarian family’s relocation to Vancouver Island during one summer in the 1990s, as her parents grapple with the worsening and mystifying behavior of her older half-brother Jeremy (Edik Beddoes). — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mystify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mystify
  1. perplex
  2. confuse
  3. bewilder
  4. baffle
  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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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

mystifies
mystify
mystifying
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on mystify

Nglish: Translation of mystify for Spanish Speakers

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