MEANING
1. To confuse someone so that they cannot understand or explain something.
2. To defeat or frustrate an effort to achieve something.
3. A plate or barrier inside a device that directs or slows the flow of air, liquid, or sound.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- baffle investigators
- baffle explanation
- completely baffle
On the page
The absence of footprints baffled the investigators more than the broken lock.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- baffle
- Past tense
- baffled
- Past participle
- baffled
- Present participle
- baffling
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- baffle
- Present continuous
- am/is/are baffling
- Present perfect
- have/has baffled
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been baffling
- Past
- baffled
- Past continuous
- was/were baffling
- Past perfect
- had baffled
- Past perfect continuous
- had been baffling
- Future
- will baffle
- Future continuous
- will be baffling
- Future perfect
- will have baffled
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been baffling
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: baffle; baffles; baffled; baffled; baffling. Noun singular baffle; plural baffles. Writing functions: mystery, action, technical description. Commonness: moderately common. Legacy fields mirror sense 1.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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