What does baffling mean?
Word: Baffling
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Baffling means so puzzling or strange that you cannot understand or explain it.
Synonyms: puzzling, confusing, mysterious
Antonyms: clear, simple
How do you spell baffling?
Syllables: baf - fling
Tricky part: There are two f's in the middle. Because the word is said quickly, many children hear only one and write bafling.
Watch out for: bafling, baffeling, bafflin
Memory tip: A baffling riddle leaves two friends frowning side by side, just like the two f's in the middle of the word.
Baffling in a sentence
Example 1: The last question in the maths quiz was baffling, so Meera left it till the end.
Example 2: Grandpa finds the new TV remote, with its forty buttons, completely baffling.
Example 3: It was baffling how the kitten got onto the roof of the school bus.
Fun Fact
Baffle, the verb behind baffling, is also a noun: a baffle is a board or panel that blocks sound or the flow of air, like the baffles inside a loudspeaker.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell Probe
Fill both blanks of one of these words with 'a' and 'i', in that order. Which option gives the meaning of that word?
1. c__rr__t 2. m__ff__n 3. b__ffl__ng 4. b__tt__n
a) a long orange root vegetable
b) very hard to make sense of
c) a small round fastener sewn on to a shirt
d) a small, soft, round cake
Show answer
b) very hard to make sense of. Only baffling takes a then i; muffin and button start with u, and carrot ends with o.
Word Puzzle
Match each word with its opposite:
1. baffling 2. ancient 3. generous a. modern b. obvious c. stingy
a) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
b) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
c) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
d) 1-a, 2-b, 3-c
Show answer
b) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c. Each word meets its opposite: a baffling clue against an obvious one, ancient against modern, generous against stingy.
Word Champ
In which option are the given words arranged in alphabetical order?
1. baffling 2. badminton 3. bagpipes 4. badge
a) 2413
b) 4123
c) 4231
d) 4213
Show answer
d) 4213. Badge and badminton share bad- and g comes before m; then baf- comes before bag-.
Word Tally
You get 1 mark for each correctly spelt word in the list. How many marks do you get?
baffling, mistery, puzzle, riddel, curious
a) 3
b) 4
c) 1
d) 2
Show answer
a) 3. Mystery takes a y after the st and riddle ends in le; baffling, puzzle and curious are right, so the score is 3.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A baffling message is one that ___.
a) is written in very neat letters
b) leaves you unsure what it means
c) arrives later than expected
d) makes you laugh out loud
Show answer
b) leaves you unsure what it means
2. The best example of something baffling is ___.
a) a glass of cold water on a hot day
b) a puzzle no one in the class can solve
c) a bus that arrives exactly on time
d) a chair with four sturdy legs
Show answer
b) a puzzle no one in the class can solve
