perplex — English Dictionary

Verb

1. To cause to feel baffled; to puzzle.

   Usage

   • Transitive

2. To involve; to entangle; to make intricate or complicated.

   Usage

   • Transitive

   Examples

   What was thought obscure, perplexed, and too hard for our weak parts, will lie open to the understanding in a fair view.

   More examples (1)

   The Ways of Heav’n are dark and intricate, Puzzled in Mazes, and perplext with Errors; Our Underſtanding traces ’em in vain, Loſt and bewilder’d in the fruitleſs Search; […]

3. To plague; to vex; to torment.

   Usage

   • Obsolete
   • Transitive

   Examples

   Chloe's the wonder of her sex, 'Tis well her heart is tender, How might such killing eyes perplex, With virtue to defend her.

   All night no ruder air perplex ⁠Thy sliding keel, till Phosphor, bright ⁠As our pure love, thro’ early light Shall glimmer on the dewy decks.

Adjective

1. intricate; difficult

   Usage

   • Archaic

   Examples

   How the soul directs the spirits for the motion of the body, according to the several animal exigents, is as perplex in the Theory, as either of the former.

   Finally, I explore possible audience interpretations of the film and offer some alternative reading strategies of these highly perplex sketches.

Noun

1. A difficulty.

   Usage

   • Obsolete

Verb

1. be a mystery or bewildering to

   Synonyms

   vexstickgetpuzzlemystifybafflebeatposebewilderflummoxstupefynonplusgravelamazedumbfound

   Broader terms

   confusethrowfoxbefuddlefuddlebedevilconfounddiscombobulate

   Examples

   This beats me!

   Got me — I don't know the answer!

   More examples (2)

   a vexing problem

   This question really stuck me

2. make more complicated

   Synonyms

   complicate

   Broader terms

   changealtermodify

   Examples

   There was a new development that complicated the matter