C1verbemotionsscience
US/ˈpʌz.əl/
UK/ˈpʌz.əl/
to make someone confused because they cannot understand or explain something
In context
What puzzles me is why she left without saying goodbye.
Doctors were puzzled by his unusual symptoms and ordered more tests.
Scientists have puzzled over the strange lights in the sky for years.
Words that go with puzzle
verb + preposition
- puzzle overI spent the evening puzzling over the instructions.
- puzzled byFans were puzzled by the band's sudden break-up.
verb + adverb
- puzzle outIt took me an hour to puzzle out the meaning of the letter.
adjective + noun
- puzzled lookShe gave me a puzzled look when I said hello in French.
adverb + verb
- deeply puzzledThe police were deeply puzzled by the missing money.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:
I am puzzling about this question.Correct: I am puzzled by this question. / I am puzzling over this question.