perplex
UK: pəˈplɛks | US: pərˈplɛks
vt. to cause someone to feel confused or uncertain
vt. to complicate or make something difficult to understand
The word "perplex" originates from the Latin perplexus, combining per- (meaning "through") and plexus (meaning "folded" or "entangled"). The literal sense was "thoroughly entangled," which evolved metaphorically to describe mental confusion or complexity. The root plex also appears in words like "complex" (folded together) and "duplex" (twofold), reinforcing the idea of intertwined difficulty.
The instructions were so vague that they only served to perplex the students.
Her sudden change of mood perplexed everyone at the party.
The detective was perplexed by the lack of evidence at the crime scene.
Trying to solve the riddle perplexed him for hours.
The technical jargon in the manual perplexed the new employees.