perplex

Pronunciation: /pɚˈplɛks/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C1 — Advanced

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. verb be a mystery or bewildering to
  2. verb make more complicated

Etymology

From Old French, from Latin perplexus (“entangled, confused”), from per (“through”) + plexus, perfect passive participle of plectō (“plait, weave, braid”).

In classic literature

Synonyms

vex, stick, get, puzzle, mystify, baffle, beat, pose, bewilder, flummox, stupefy, nonplus, gravel, amaze, dumbfound

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
confuse
Narrower (hyponyms)
stump, elude, riddle

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