Baffling
/ˈbæflɪŋ/
adjectiveIntermediateCommonGeneral
Meaning
Questions
Definitions
1
So confusing as to be impossible to understand.
/ˈbæflɪŋ/
adjectivenegativeIntermediate
General
Completely confusing or perplexing.
The puzzle was baffling, even for experienced solvers.
💡 Simply: Very confusing and hard to understand.
More Examples
2
Her behavior was baffling to everyone who knew her.
How It's Used
General
"The instructions were utterly baffling."
Science
"The results of the experiment were baffling to the researchers."
From Middle English *baffelen, meaning "to confuse, to deceive"; ultimately of uncertain origin, possibly from a Scandinavian source.
While the modern usage focuses on the confusing nature, historical uses sometimes held a connotation of trickery or deception.
Memory tip
Imagine a baffled expression – that's the feeling of something baffling.
Practice
Base: baffle
baffelingbafllingbafeling
Usage
30%Spoken
70%Written