mystify
12 synonyms and 1 antonym for mystify, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — To make someone feel completely puzzled and unable to understand something.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
Etymology
Comes from French mystifier, from Ancient Greek μυστικός (mustikós, “secret, mystic”) plus Latin -ficare.
Full origin of mystify →