baffling

IPA/ˈbæflɪŋ/
KK[bˈæfəlɪŋ]IPA/ˈbæflɪŋ/

baffling — adjective

  • bafflingpositive
  • more bafflingcomparative
  • most bafflingsuperlative

1. Something that is baffling is so confusing that you cannot make sense of it or f

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

Something that is baffling is so confusing that you cannot make sense of it or find a reasonable explanation for what is happening or why it is happening.

Example

The instructions for the new software were so baffling that Kwame had to ask for help.

so baffling that

Fatima found the sudden change in her friend's behavior utterly baffling.

Common collocations
  • utterly baffling
  • completely baffling
  • totally baffling
  • baffling mystery
  • baffling problem
  • baffling to someone
Synonyms
  • confusing

    more general and weaker in intensity; baffling suggests a stronger sense of frustration

  • puzzling

    suggests curiosity rather than frustration; a puzzle invites solving, while a baffling situation blocks understanding

  • perplexing

    more formal and slightly weaker; implies uncertainty rather than complete confusion

  • mystifying

    suggests something seems like a mystery or secret that cannot be explained

Antonyms
  • clear

    easy to understand or see the meaning of

  • straightforward

    simple and not complicated; easy to deal with

Usage Note

Commonly used with intensifiers such as 'utterly', 'completely', and 'totally' before it, or with 'so...that' to express cause and effect.

Common Mistakes

The exam was baffling but I still answered most questions.
The exam was baffling
I could not answer most of the questions at all.' — 'baffling' implies complete inability to understand or solve, not just difficulty.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe experiences that are hard to understand, but they differ in emotional weight and scope. 'Confusing' is the broadest and most neutral — it simply means something lacks clarity (e.g., 'the map was confusing'). 'Puzzling' leans toward intellectual curiosity: a puzzle invites solving ('a puzzling remark'). 'Perplexing' is more formal and describes a state of mild bewilderment ('a perplexing legal question'). 'Mystifying' adds an element of magic or secrecy — as though the explanation is deliberately hidden ('a mystifying disappearance'). 'Baffling' is the strongest: it implies complete blockage of understanding, often with frustration. A math problem may be confusing or puzzling, but if it is baffling, you cannot solve it at all.

baffling ↗confusing ↗puzzling ↗perplexing ↗mystifying ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • baffling to someone
  • find something baffling

Prepositions

Etymology

ScotsEnglish

Baffling comes from the verb 'baffle', which entered English in the late 1500s. The origin is uncertain — it may come from Scottish 'bauchle' meaning to treat with contempt or dishonour. By the 1600s it had acquired its modern meaning of frustrating or confusing someone's efforts.