| Main Entry: | puzzle |
| 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: | puzzle |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | wonder about |
Synonyms: |
ask oneself, brood, cudgel, marvel, mull over, muse, ponder, rack one's brains, study, think about, think hard |
Antonyms: |
not care |
| Main Entry: | ambiguity |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | uncertainty of meaning |
Synonyms: |
anagram, double meaning, double-entendre, doubt, doubtfulness, dubiety, dubiousness, enigma, equivocacy, equivocality, equivocation, incertitude, inconclusiveness, indefiniteness, indeterminateness, obscurity, polysemousness, polysemy, puzzle, tergiversation, uncertainty, unclearness, vagueness |
Antonyms: |
certainty, clarity, clearness, definiteness, explicitness, lucidity |
| 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 |
| Notes: | the first meaning of amuse was 'to divert the attention of in order to mislead,' 'delude, deceive' and now means 'entertain, make smile or laugh'; bemuse means 'confuse, bewilder, puzzle' |
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 |
| Main Entry: | catch |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | trick, hidden disadvantage |
Synonyms: |
Catch-22, conundrum, deception, decoy, drawback, fly in the ointment, hitch, joke, puzzle, puzzler, snag, stumbling block, trap |
| Main Entry: | cloud |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | confuse |
Synonyms: |
addle, becloud, befuddle, disorient, distort, distract, impair, muddle, muddy, obscure, perplex, puzzle |
Antonyms: |
clear up, explain, explicate |