Flummoxed
/ˈflʌməksd/
adjectiveB2past participle / adjective form (used to describe feeling)
Definition
Flummoxed describes a strong feeling of confusion or being puzzled. When someone is flummoxed, they do not know what to do or say because something is difficult to understand or surprising.
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See It in Action
Feeling very confused or puzzled
- •She was flummoxed by the complicated instructions.
- •The unexpected question left him flummoxed and speechless.
- •I was flummoxed when the computer suddenly stopped working.
Being unsure how to react or respond
- •The strange behavior of her friend flummoxed her completely.
- •He looked flummoxed when asked about the missing documents.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "flummoxed" like "confused," but much stronger—you feel stuck and unsure what to do next.
- ✓Picture a person scratching their head, looking at a difficult puzzle or problem with no idea how to solve it.
- ✓It's the feeling when you try to answer a tricky question but your mind goes blank.
- ✓Sounds like "FLUM-mocks" → imagine a small, funny monster named Flummox that makes your thoughts mixed up and jumbled.
- ✓Think of a character in a story who suddenly faces a mystery they cannot explain and feels lost.
- ✓NOT like "confused" (which can be mild), "flummoxed" is more intense and shows a deeper level of being puzzled.
- ✓NOT like "surprised" (which is about shock), "flummoxed" is about not understanding what is happening.
- ✓NOT like "lost" (physically not knowing the way), "flummoxed" is about mental confusion or difficulty understanding.
Try Other Words
- •Puzzled: feeling unsure because something is hard to understand (Use when the confusion is about a problem or question)
- •Bewildered: feeling very confused and surprised (Use when confusion is mixed with surprise)
- •Perplexed: feeling confused because something is strange or difficult (Use in formal or serious contexts)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: Possibly from unknown origin, but "flummox" is a playful word meaning to confuse or puzzle someone
- •Etymology: First appeared in English in the 19th century, likely as a slang or informal term meaning to confuse
- •Historical development: Used mainly in British English originally, now common in informal English to express strong confusion
- •Modern usage: Used mostly as an adjective describing a person’s confused state, often in casual or humorous speech
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when you felt flummoxed by a problem or question? What helped you understand it later?
•How is feeling flummoxed different from just being confused or surprised? Can it be a positive feeling sometimes?
Fill in the blanks
1.She was flummoxed ___ the complicated directions and did not know where to start.
2.When the unexpected question came, he looked flummoxed and ___ to answer.
3.Being flummoxed usually means you feel ___ about what to do next.
4.Unlike being surprised, flummoxed means you are ___ about understanding something.
5.The teacher’s explanation left the students flummoxed because it was too ___.
6.People feel flummoxed when they face problems that are ___ or strange.
7.After hearing the confusing news, she was flummoxed and could not ___ her thoughts clearly.