Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [puhz-ling]
- /ˈpʌz lɪŋ/
- /ˈpʌz.l̩.ɪŋ/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [puhz-ling]
- /ˈpʌz lɪŋ/
Definitions of puzzling word
- adjective puzzling confusing or baffling: a puzzling answer. 1
- noun puzzling a toy, problem, or other contrivance designed to amuse by presenting difficulties to be solved by ingenuity or patient effort. 1
- noun puzzling something puzzling; a puzzling question, matter, or person. 1
- noun puzzling a puzzled or perplexed condition; bewilderment. 1
- noun puzzling a crossword puzzle: Did you do the puzzle in the newspaper today? 1
- noun puzzling a jigsaw puzzle. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of puzzling
First appearance:
before 1590 One of the 37% oldest English words
First recorded in 1590-1600; puzzle + -ing2
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Puzzling
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
puzzling popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 92% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
puzzling usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for puzzling
adj puzzling
- abstruse — You can describe something as abstruse if you find it difficult to understand, especially when you think it could be explained more simply.
- alchemistic — a form of chemistry and speculative philosophy practiced in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and concerned principally with discovering methods for transmuting baser metals into gold and with finding a universal solvent and an elixir of life.
- ambiguous — If you describe something as ambiguous, you mean that it is unclear or confusing because it can be understood in more than one way.
- astrological — the study that assumes and attempts to interpret the influence of the heavenly bodies on human affairs.
- at issue — The question or point at issue is the question or point that is being argued about or discussed.
adverb puzzling
- abstrusely — In an abstruse manner. (First attested in the early 17th century.)0.
- bafflingly — to confuse, bewilder, or perplex: He was baffled by the technical language of the instructions.
- confusingly — causing or tending to cause confusion: a confusing attempt at explanation.
- enigmatically — Acting in a manner that suggests an enigma.
- inexplicably — not explicable; incapable of being accounted for or explained.
adjective puzzling
- amphibological — (rare) of doubtful meaning, ambiguous, quibbling.
- baffling — impossible to understand; perplexing; bewildering; puzzling
- bamboozling — Present participle of bamboozle.
- casuistical — Casuistic.
- challenging — A challenging task or job requires great effort and determination.
Antonyms for puzzling
adj puzzling
- annotative — to supply with critical or explanatory notes; comment upon in notes: to annotate the works of Shakespeare.
- declarative — making a statement or assertion
- diagrammatic — Something that is in diagrammatic form is arranged or drawn as a diagram.
adjective puzzling
- elucidatory — Serving to elucidate.
- exegetical — Of or relating to exegesis.
- explainable — Able to be explained or understood.
- explanatory — Serving to explain something.
- expositional — Explained in clear terms, as in writing.
See also
Matching words
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