baffle

Fetched 2026-10-27 (live).

Synonyms: maffle, gaffle, waffle, raffle, faffle, yaffle, buffle, haffle, kaffle, biffle, jaffle

Antonyms: maffle, gaffle, waffle, raffle, faffle, yaffle, buffle, haffle, kaffle, biffle, jaffle

Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.

Verb

1. To confuse or perplex (someone) completely; to bewilder, to confound, to puzzle. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
   • I am baffled by the contradictions and omissions in the instructions.
   • They were baffled as to how the confusion could have arisen.
2. To confuse or perplex (someone) completely; to bewilder, to confound, to puzzle. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
   • I am baffled by the contradictions and omissions in the instructions.
   • They were baffled as to how the confusion could have arisen.
3. To defeat, frustrate, or thwart (someone or their efforts, plans, etc.); to confound, to foil.
4. Of weather or wind: to hinder or prevent (a ship or its crew) from advancing.
5. To dampen, muffle, restrain, or otherwise control (a fluid, or waves travelling through a fluid such as light or sound).
6. To deceive or hoodwink (someone); to gull. Followed by away or out: to deprive of (something) through cheating or manipulation; also (followed by out of), to deprive of something by cheating or manipulating (someone).
7. To deceive or hoodwink (someone); to gull.
8. Followed by away or out: to deprive of (something) through cheating or manipulation; also (followed by out of), to deprive of something by cheating or manipulating (someone).
9. To expend effort or struggle in vain.
   • The ship, baffling with the winds, moved not an inch.
10. To expend effort or struggle in vain.
    • The ship, baffling with the winds, moved not an inch.
11. To argue or complain in a petty or trivial manner; to quibble.

Noun

1. A device used to dampen, muffle, restrain, or otherwise control the movement of a fluid, or waves travelling through a fluid such as light or sound; specifically, a surface positioned inside an open area to inhibit direct motion from one place to another without preventing motion altogether.
   • Tanker trucks use baffles to keep the liquids inside from sloshing around.
   • sound baffle
2. A device used to dampen, muffle, restrain, or otherwise control the movement of a fluid, or waves travelling through a fluid such as light or sound; specifically, a surface positioned inside an open area to inhibit direct motion from one place to another without preventing motion altogether.
   • Tanker trucks use baffles to keep the liquids inside from sloshing around.
3. A lever for operating the throttle valve of a winding engine.
4. A device to prevent the spreading of sound or light.
   • sound baffle
5. A barrier designed to obstruct and confuse enemies, rendering them vulnerable.
6. An argument or objection based on an ambiguity of wording or similar trivial circumstance; a minor complaint; a quibble.

Verb

1. To publicly disgrace (someone); specifically, a recreant knight.
2. To treat (someone) with contempt; to disgrace; also, to speak of (someone or something) in contemptuous terms; to speak ill of, to vilify.

Noun

1. Intentional insult; affront; also, disgrace; an instance of this.

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wiktionary) · cached copy, not a rewrite.