| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | baffle, confuse |
| Synonyms: | addle, amaze, bamboozle*, beat, befog, befuddle, bemuse, bewilder, buffalo, complicate, confound, discombobulate, disconcert, distract, disturb, dumbfound, flabbergast, floor*, flummox, foil, frustrate, get to, mystify, nonplus, obscure, perplex, pose, profundicate, psych out, put off, rattle, snow*, stir, stumble, stump, throw |
| Antonyms: | clarify, elucidate, explain, illustrate, unravel |
| Main Entry: | puzzling |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | confusing |
| Synonyms: | abstruse, ambiguous, baffling, bewildering, beyond one, difficult, enigmatic, hard, incomprehensible, inexplicable, involved, knotty, labyrinthine, misleading, mystifying, obscure, perplexing, surprising, unaccountable, unclear, unfathomable |
| Antonyms: | comprehendible, intelligible, understandable |
| Main Entry: | abstruse |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | difficult to understand |
| Synonyms: | Greek to me, abstract, clear as dishwater, complex, complicated, deep, enigmatic, esoteric, heavy*, hidden, incomprehensible, intricate, involved, muddy, obscure, perplexing, profound, puzzling, recondite, subtle, unfathomable, vague |
| Antonyms: | clear, concrete, easy, lucid, obvious, plain, simple |
| Main Entry: | ambiguous |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | having more than one meaning |
| Synonyms: | clear as dishwater, cryptic, doubtful, dubious, enigmatic, enigmatical, equivocal, inconclusive, indefinite, indeterminate, inexplicit, muddy, multivocal, obscure, opaque, polysemous, puzzling, questionable, tenebrous, uncertain, unclear, unintelligible, vague |
| Notes: | ambiguous is vague by accident or intent; equivocal is vague by intent |
| Antonyms: | clear, definite, explicit, lucid |
| Main Entry: | baffle |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | perplex |
| Synonyms: | addle, amaze, astound, befuddle, bewilder, buffalo, confound, confuse, daze, disconcert, dumbfound, elude, embarrass, faze, floor*, get, mix up, muddle, mystify, nonplus, puzzle, rattle, stick*, stump, stun, throw |
| Antonyms: | clear up, enlighten, explain |
| Main Entry: | bamboozle |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | fool; cheat |
| Synonyms: | baffle, befuddle, bilk, con, confound, confuse, deceive, defraud, delude, dupe, flimflam, hoax, hoodwink*, hornswoggle, mystify, perplex, puzzle, stump, swindle, trick |
| Antonyms: | be honest |
| Main Entry: | befuddle |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | confuse |
| Synonyms: | addle, baffle, ball up, bewilder, bother, daze, disorient, distract, dumbfound, fluster, inebriate, intoxicate, make punchy, mix up, muddle, puzzle, shake, stupefy, throw off |
| Antonyms: | clear up, explain |
| Main Entry: | bemuse |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | confuse |
| Synonyms: | addle, amaze, bewilder, daydream, daze, gather wool, moon, muddle, overwhelm, paralyze, perplex, pipe dream, puzzle, stun, stupefy |
| Antonyms: | clear up, enlighten, explain, illuminate, tell |
| Main Entry: | bewilder |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | confuse |
| Synonyms: | addle, baffle, ball up, befuddle, bemuse, confound, daze, disconcert, distract, floor*, fluster, mess with one's head, mix up, muddle, mystify, perplex, puzzle, rattle, snow*, stump, stupefy, throw, upset |
| Antonyms: | clear up, explain, orient |