Synonyms for baffle
ˈbæf əlbaf·fle

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. baffle

   To hinder is to keep from action, progress, motion, or growth, or to make such action, progress, motion, or growth later in beginning or completion than it would otherwise have been. An action is prevented by anything that comes in before it to make it impossible; it is hindered by anything that keeps it from either beginning or ending so soon as it otherwise would, or as expected or intended. It is more common, however, to say that the start is delayed, the progress hindered. An action that is hindered does not take place at the appointed or appropriate time; that which is prevented does not take place at all; to hinder a thing long enough may amount to preventing it. A railroad-train may be hindered by a snow-storm from arriving on time; it may by special order be prevented from starting. To retard is simply to make slow by any means whatever. To obstruct is to hinder, or possibly to prevent advance or passage by putting something in the way; to oppose or resist is to hinder, or possibly to prevent by directly contrary or hostile action, resist being the stronger term and having more suggestion of physical force; obstructed roads hinder the march of an enemy, tho there may be no force strong enough to oppose it; one opposes a measure, a motion, an amendment, or the like; it is a criminal offense to resist an officer in the discharge of his duty; the physical system may resist the attack of disease or the action of a remedy. Compare CONQUER; IMPEDIMENT; OBSTRUCT.

   See synonyms for QUICKEN.

   Synonyms:
   balk, bar, block, check, clog, counteract, delay, embarrass, encumber, foil, frustrate, hamper, hinder, impede, interrupt, obstruct, oppose, prevent, resist, retard, stay, stop, thwart

   Preposition:
   Hinder one in his progress; from acting promptly; by opposition.

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:2.8 / 6 votes

1. baffle

   Synonyms:
   frustrate, counteract, estop, disconcert, elude, mock, thwart, confound, defeat, perplex, restrain, upset, foil, mar, balk, neutralize, dodge, counterfoil

   Antonyms:
   point, aid, abet, enforce, promote, assist, advance, encourage

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:2.0 / 2 votes

1. baffle, baffle boardverb

   a flat plate that controls or directs the flow of fluid or energy

   Synonyms:
   baffle board

2. perplex, vex, stick, get, puzzle, mystify, baffle, beat, pose, bewilder, flummox, stupefy, nonplus, gravel, amaze, dumbfoundverb

   be a mystery or bewildering to

   "This beats me!"; "Got me--I don't know the answer!"; "a vexing problem"; "This question really stuck me"

   Synonyms:
   drum, lay, take, cause, receive, get at, outfox, wash up, foil, start, besot, father, experience, mystify, pound, rile, stun, have, become, sustain, stay, put, scram, regulate, drive, start out, amaze, stimulate, sire, model, devil, cohere, sting, engender, get to, cleave, go, fix, scotch, pay back, annoy, stick, suffer, beat up, beat, set about, trounce, get down, thrum, incur, posture, stick by, draw, contract, bring forth, grow, dumbfound, stupefy, exhaust, overreach, stick around, set out, agitate, flap, rag, crush, arrest, stick to, develop, outwit, throw, bring, bewilder, nettle, irritate, mother, set, personate, stir up, lodge, quiver, buzz off, catch, present, scramble, wedge, shake up, make, beget, puzzle, flummox, stand by, thump, cross, get, generate, bind, complicate, nark, find, outsmart, deposit, cling, obtain, vex, worry, pose, adhere, capture, position, aim, induce, ticktack, spoil, perplex, work over, tucker out, raise up, bother, bunk, gravel, begin, disturb, impersonate, fetch, discombobulate, circumvent, let, get under one's skin, frustrate, sit, astound, arrive, tick, produce, pulsate, convey, thwart, bond, acquire, come, bemuse, tucker, commove, pay off, bilk, astonish, ticktock, bugger off, beat out, hold fast, chafe, vanquish, shell, stay put, place, nonplus, commence

3. thwart, queer, spoil, scotch, foil, cross, frustrate, baffle, bilkverb

   hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of

   "What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge"; "foil your opponent"

   Synonyms:
   vitiate, mar, sweep, dumbfound, plunder, foil, scupper, mystify, cut through, pamper, flub, span, dun, rape, crucify, baby, regulate, bedevil, itch, screw up, ball up, indulge, interbreed, stick, cut across, corrupt, elude, get over, deflower, spoil, puzzle, gravel, violate, beat, mollycoddle, bungle, intersect, bollocks up, fumble, evade, rag, blow, bollix, torment, amaze, bewilder, coddle, cosset, frustrate, peril, scotch, featherbed, crossbreed, cross, get, louse up, perplex, botch up, bodge, traverse, bobble, muff, bollocks, pass over, pose, fluff, vex, mishandle, endanger, foul up, stupefy, flummox, track, hybridize, cover, despoil, muck up, bumble, mess up, impair, bollix up, botch, thwart, bilk, get across, expose, go bad, hybridise, cocker, nonplus

4. baffle, regulateverb

   check the emission of (sound)

   Synonyms:
   stupefy, scotch, stick, perplex, bilk, shape, get, mystify, frustrate, flummox, beat, order, foil, nonplus, modulate, regulate, determine, dumbfound, thwart, govern, regularize, regularise, amaze, mold, gravel, bewilder, cross, vex, influence, puzzle, spoil, pose

Matched Categories

1. • Prevent

Editors ContributionRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. fazzle

   Submitted by Colleenmb26 on July 7, 2023  

2. fazzleadverb

   fazzle peoples minds

   Submitted by Colleenmb26 on July 7, 2023  

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. baffleverb

   Synonyms:
   disconcert, frustrate, foil, elude, balk, circumvent

2. baffleverb

   Synonyms:
   confound, bewilder, perplex, out-general, out-manœuvre

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. baffleverb

   Synonyms:
   foil, balk, checkmate, disconcert, frustrate, thwart, circumvent, nonplus

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "baffle":

   spoiler, deflector, louver, deflection

How to pronounce baffle?

How to say baffle in sign language?

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

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Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use baffle in a sentence?

1. Albert Pike:

   He who endeavors to serve, to benefit, and improve the world, is like a swimmer, who struggles against a rapid current, in a river lashed into angry waves by the winds. Often they roar over his head, often they beat him back and baffle him. Most men yield to the stress of the current... Only here and there the stout, strong heart and vigorous arms struggle on toward ultimate success.

2. Ahmed Korayem:

   It never ceases to baffle me at how one's more willing to accept the unacceptable as long as it can be rationalized

3. Del Rio:

   I mean, the evidence that I'm aware of as of today is that close to 40 % of the cases of the infections are asymptomatic and asymptomatic people transmit the infection, so, not testing -- I mean, if you have been in contact with somebody for a few minutes, that's okay. But if you have been in contact for 50 minutes and that people doesn't have a mask, I think you need to be tested regardless if you have symptoms or not. We know especially young people going into the house and then transmit inside the household. So, the guidelines baffle me and I really don't understand them.

4. New York:

   So, not testing -- I mean, if you have been in contact with somebody for a few minutes, that's okay. But if you have been in contact for 50 minutes and that people doesn't have a mask, I think you need to be tested regardless if you have symptoms or not. We know especially young people going into White House and then transmit inside the household. So, the guidelines baffle me and I really don't understand them. the only plausible rationale is they want fewer people taking tests because, as the president has said, if we don't take tests Del Rio won't know that people are Covid positive and the number of Covid positive people will come down.

5. William Feather:

   Here is the secret of inspiration: Tell yourself that thousands and tens of thousands of people, not very intelligent and certainly no more intelligent than the rest of us, have mastered problems as difficult as those that now baffle you.