Meaning & use
I am perplexed
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Meaning
phrasefixed phraseformal
I feel confused and unable to understand something, often because it is surprising or complicated.
Grammar: A complete sentence. It is often followed by 'by' or 'at' plus the thing that confuses you: I am perplexed by his answer.
Patterns
- I am perplexed by something
- I am perplexed at something
- I am perplexed about something
I am perplexed by the sudden change in the schedule.
She said she would come, so I am perplexed that she never arrived.
I am perplexed about how to solve this problem without more information.
Common combinations
- perplexed by
- The teachers were perplexed by the low exam results.
- perplexed at
- I am perplexed at how quickly the situation changed.
- perplexed expression
- He had a perplexed expression when he read the email.
- utterly perplexed
- We were utterly perplexed by the strange noise.
Synonyms and how they differ
- confused
- More common and less formal; it can describe any level of not understanding, while 'perplexed' suggests deep, often puzzling confusion.
- puzzled
- Similar in meaning but often suggests a milder, more curious kind of confusion.
- baffled
- Stronger than 'perplexed'; it suggests being completely unable to understand something.
Opposites
Word family
- perplex verb
- to confuse someone or make something difficult to understand
- perplexing adjective
- confusing and difficult to understand
- perplexity noun
- the state of being confused or puzzled
Commonly confused: I am perplexed or perplexing?
I am perplexed vs perplexing
Use 'perplexed' for a person who feels confused, and 'perplexing' for a thing that causes confusion: a perplexing question.
Practice
Choose the best sentence:
Choose one answer.
'Perplexed' is followed by 'by' when you name the cause. 'Of', 'for', and 'on' do not fit this pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “I am perplexed”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.