flummox

verb

flum·​mox ˈflə-məks How to pronounce flummox (audio)
-miks
flummoxed; flummoxing; flummoxes

transitive verb

: confuse
He was flummoxed by the legal jargon.
a hapless innocent who had been flummoxed by wily city slickersAndy Logan

Did you know?

No one is completely sure where the word flummox comes from, but Charles Dickens was aware of it and used it in his 1837 novel The Pickwick Papers. It became quite common in both British and American English by the end of the 19th century.

Examples of flummox in a Sentence

an actor who's easily flummoxed by any changes in the script
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
They were flummoxed over strange texts from Hegseth, played by Andrew Dismukes. Dennis Romero, NBC news, 30 Mar. 2025 The University of Denver’s mustachioed maestro frustrated and flummoxed the No. 1 overall seed for the second year in a row, stopping 35 shots to lead the Pioneers back to the Frozen Four with a 3-1 victory inside SNHU Arena in Manchester, N.H., on Sunday night. Matt Schubert, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2025 Wildlife officials were flummoxed. Ben Naddaff-Hafrey, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025 Kevin Willard switched to zone defense midway through the first half, flummoxing Colorado State and giving his team a chance to rally. Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 24 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for flummox

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flummox was in 1836

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Cite this Entry

“Flummox.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flummox. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

flummox

verb
flum·​mox
ˈfləm-əks
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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