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 To the puzzlement of Kelly and the other band members, though, that music rarely included Dead material, and at the start, Weir declined to recruit a lead guitarist to play similar parts to Garcia’s. — David Browne, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026 There is puzzlement on both sides. — Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for puzzlement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puzzlement
  1. confusion
  2. mystery
  3. fog
  4. bewilderment
Noun
  • Almeida said Election Day confusion is possible in some precincts but the nature of the threat requires a collective effort.
    — STEVE PEOPLES, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Lula’s victory followed confusion at polling places after Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin ordered a last-minute, two-hour extension of voting nationwide.
    — David Unsworth , Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of confusion
Noun
  • But genuinely funny moments are rare, badly outnumbered by done-to-death musings regarding the mysteries of being alive and torturous melodramatic moments in which Klara dully absorbs the severity of Josie’s illness and Chrissy’s sorrow.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Genres run from crime thrillers and detective mysteries to folklore horror, social and courtroom drama, and romance.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of mystery
Noun
  • The morning fog had lifted as Bates trails one of his delivery trucks and its driver, Lee Wood.
    — Rachel Siegel, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Oyamel firs thrive in cool, moist, mountainous environments, usually between 1,200 and 4,100 meters (3,940–13,450 feet) above sea level, where fog and precipitation are common.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of fog
Noun
  • Religion, fear, prejudice, affection, money, family history, and bewilderment can crowd the same room.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026
  • There are four of us on staff at The Verge actively testing Googlebooks and, frankly, our internal Slack discussions have been mostly filled with collective venting of frustrations, disappointments, and bewilderment.
    — Antonio G. Di Benedetto, The Verge, 9 Oct. 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 27 Oct. 2026.

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