Puzzling
ˈpʌzəlɪŋ
Definitions
Difficult to understand, solve, or explain; causing bewilderment.
ˈpʌzəlɪŋ
Difficult to understand or explain.
The sudden change in her behavior was puzzling.
💡 Simply: It's like something that doesn't make sense right away, like a riddle or a mystery that needs figuring out. Like when you see something you can't explain!
👶 For kids: Something that makes you scratch your head because it's hard to figure out.
More Examples
The evidence presented in court was puzzling, making the case hard to follow.
His absence from the meeting was puzzling to everyone involved.
How It's Used
"The clues in the mystery novel were quite puzzling."
"Scientists are still working to understand the puzzling behavior of dark matter."
Idioms & expressions
a puzzling question
A question that is difficult to answer or understand.
"The teacher posed a puzzling question that challenged the students' critical thinking skills."
puzzling over
Thinking deeply and carefully about something that is difficult to understand.
"She was puzzling over the clues to solve the mystery."
From "puzzle" + "-ing." "Puzzle" itself comes from the Middle English word "poselen," meaning "to perplex" or "to confuse," likely of unknown origin.
The word "puzzling" began to gain wider usage in the 18th and 19th centuries, aligning with the rise of the detective novel and scientific inquiry, where understanding complex issues became increasingly important.
Memory tip
Think of a jigsaw puzzle that's missing pieces and hard to complete.
Word Origin
"To perplex, to confuse"