have puzzled over

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "have puzzled over" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when expressing confusion or contemplation about a particular issue or topic. Example: "I have puzzled over the meaning of this poem for days, trying to understand its deeper significance."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Science & Research

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

The relationship of the Hudson River School and the Industrial Revolution is a subject that others have puzzled over before.

The New York Times

Scientists discovered the mysterious rite of procreation in 1981 and ever since have puzzled over its details.

The New York Times - Science

Tom Friedman: That's an important question and it is one I get asked a lot and have puzzled over a lot.

The New York Times

George, back in Boston, took up his altered column in the sixties, and soon struck off sprezzatura and duende — many thousands of New England readers must have puzzled over, then got used to, the elegant usage.

The New Yorker

You can hear it when electrodes taped on to a person's scalp record cycles of undulating electrical pulses, or "brain waves".Neurologists have puzzled over the significance of these waves for more than a century.

The Economist

For decades, scientists have puzzled over exactly where these winds and the striped pattern they produce come from.

Science Magazine

Darwin's seasickness and other maladies have been a topic that many scholars have puzzled over for quite some time, but Thomson rather cavalierly labels Darwin as a lifelong "hypochondriac" (p. 29).

Evolution: Education and Outreach

"What happens when we die?" is one of the existential questions that humans have puzzled over since we first grew aware of our own mortality.

Vice

This article originally appeared on VICE UK. "What happens when we die?" is one of the existential questions that humans have puzzled over since we first grew aware of our own mortality.

Vice

No doubt, dear reader, you have puzzled over similar travel mysteries.

The New York Times

Corporate executives and journalists alike have puzzled over his involvement with Galleon Group.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

The phrase "have puzzled over" works well in academic and formal writing when you want to convey intellectual engagement with a subject.

Common error

Avoid using "have puzzled over" when you simply mean you are curious about something. This phrase implies a more significant effort to understand something complex, not just a passing interest.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have puzzled over" functions as a present perfect verb phrase, indicating a prolonged period of contemplation or confusion about a particular topic. Ludwig AI confirms that it is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

32%

Science & Research

27%

Less common in

Wiki

1%

Formal & Business

1%

Academia

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "have puzzled over" is a versatile and correct way to express ongoing confusion or deep thought about a particular issue. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's grammatically sound and widely applicable. It appears most frequently in news, scientific, and research contexts, signifying its use when complex or mysterious subjects are being discussed. When choosing alternatives, consider nuances of phrases like "have contemplated" or "have wondered about" to precisely match your intended meaning. Remember to use "have puzzled over" when you really want to show a sustained, intellectual effort to explain or resolve a perplexing subject.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have been perplexed by

Highlights the state of confusion caused by the topic.

have wondered about

Expresses a sense of curiosity and uncertainty about the topic.

have pondered

Similar to "contemplated" but suggests a more thoughtful consideration.

have contemplated

Replaces "puzzled" with a more general term for thinking deeply.

have grappled with

Indicates a struggle to understand or resolve the issue.

have mused on

Implies a more leisurely and reflective consideration.

have struggled with

Emphasizes the difficulty in understanding the subject

have reflected on

Focuses on thinking seriously about something, often from experience.

have considered

Suggests a more formal and deliberate examination of the topic.

have investigated

Emphasizes the search for an explanation to something not easy to understand

FAQs

How can I use "have puzzled over" in a sentence?

You can use "have puzzled over" to indicate that you or others have been trying to understand something complex or mysterious. For example, "Scientists "have puzzled over" the origins of the universe for centuries."

What can I say instead of "have puzzled over"?

Alternatives include "have contemplated", "have pondered", or "have wondered about", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "have puzzled over" formal or informal?

"Have puzzled over" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its appropriateness depends more on the overall tone of your writing than on the phrase itself.

What's the difference between "have puzzled over" and "have considered"?

"Have considered" implies a more general act of thinking about something, while ""have puzzled over"" suggests a more intense effort to understand something perplexing or mysterious. The former is broader; the latter, more specific to confusing topics.