puzzle

noun
UK: /ˈpʌz.əl/
US: /ˈpʌz.əl/

  1. A game or toy that tests your knowledge or skill.

    1. I like to do a puzzle with my kids. [ ] [ ]
    2. Solving the puzzle required logical thinking and a bit of luck. [ ] [ ]

  2. A situation that is difficult to understand.

    1. The reason is a puzzle for everyone. [ ] [ ]
    2. The detective found the crime a complex puzzle to unravel. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

confound baffle riddle enigma mystery problem perplex
puzzle verb

  1. To feel confused or unable to understand something.

    1. The situation puzzled me. [ ] [ ]
    2. The sudden change in plans puzzled her, so she asked for details. [ ] [ ]

  2. To try to solve a problem by thinking carefully about it.

    1. I puzzled over the problem. [ ] [ ]
    2. She puzzled over the meaning of the cryptic message for hours. [ ] [ ]
puzzle adjective

  1. Confusing or difficult to understand.

    1. It was a puzzle question. [ ] [ ]
    2. The puzzle results of the experiment left scientists wondering. [ ] [ ]
puzzle phrasal-verb

  1. To think hard about something.

    1. I puzzled out how to start [ ] [ ]
    2. Detectives puzzled out how to get to the crime scene with no witnesses. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "puzzle" in English means: A game or toy that tests your knowledge or skill., A situation that is difficult to understand..

The phonetic transcription of "puzzle" is /ˈpʌz.əl/ in British English and /ˈpʌz.əl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "puzzle": confound, baffle, riddle, enigma, mystery, problem, perplex.

Example usage of "puzzle": "I like to do a puzzle with my kids.". More examples on the page.