Meaning & use

baffled

adjective·Everyday

Completely confused or unable to understand something, often despite trying hard to figure it out.

See it in a sentence

The mechanics were baffled by the strange noise coming from beneath the car's hood.

She looked baffled when the numbers in the report didn't match the totals she expected.

A note on using this word

Baffled suggests confusion strong enough to stop progress entirely, stronger than simply being unsure or curious.

Words with a similar meaning

puzzledbewildered

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

enlightened

Make it your own

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