perplex
/pəˈplɛks/verb
To confuse someone so much that they cannot understand or explain something.
Example sentences
- “The strange instructions perplexed everyone on the team.”
- “The disappearance of the ship continues to perplex historians.”
Most often met as 'perplexed' or 'perplexing'. Stronger than 'confuse': it suggests a genuine puzzle with no obvious way in.