increasingly perplexed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "increasingly perplexed" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a growing sense of confusion or bewilderment over time. Example: "As the discussion progressed, I found myself increasingly perplexed by the contradictory statements being made."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

Becoming increasingly perplexed, she next tried "to Manhattan".

The New York Times

By far the best novel I read this year – and I read the entire Booker longlist out of increasingly perplexed curiosity – was Ali Smith's There but for the.

The Guardian - Books

Baldessari constructs a vivid, skewed world in which the viewer can either participate or smile and walk away — a world whose complicity with the one we know becomes increasingly perplexed as the exhibition unfolds.

The New Yorker

At the same time, some state officials in California are also increasingly perplexed about mixed signs from the federal authorities, who still view marijuana as illegal under federal law despite legislation in more than a dozen states allowing the drug's medical use.

The New York Times

(Martina Navratilova, calling the match on television, cried out in admiration, "Soderling is playing out of his mind!") Nadal appeared heavy-footed and off-kilter from the first set on, and people who know his game grew increasingly perplexed as they awaited the familiar surge that smashed Nalbandian at Indian Wells and dozens of other opponents over the years.

The New York Times - Magazine

"I see an insular people who are insensitive to foreign sensibilities, who are lazy, obese, complacent, and increasingly perplexed as to why we are losing out place in the world to people who are more dynamic than us and more disciplined," Morris said.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

Warwickshire's triumphalist response to Lara's signing of a one-year contract has been replaced by an increasingly piqued and perplexed response to his behaviour.

The Guardian - Sport

He does this by means of a generalised, flyover narration of a "typical day" – morning, noon and night – that is interrupted by scenes in which we can hear the pleading of an increasingly agitated and perplexed Giovanni.

The Guardian - Books

His wife Ruth was at first perplexed and then increasingly angry.

The Guardian

The authorities themselves, facing an increasingly disorderly and unmanageable system, felt perplexed and powerless.

Wikipedia

Increasingly, though, it's not just artists who feel perplexed about what to make of award ceremonies.

The Guardian - Music

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "increasingly perplexed" to effectively convey a gradual build-up of confusion or bewilderment over time. This phrasing is particularly useful in narrative or descriptive writing where you want to emphasize the evolving state of mind.

Common error

Avoid using "increasingly perplexed" when a simpler term like "confused" would suffice. "Perplexed" suggests a deeper level of bewilderment than simple confusion, so ensure the context warrants the more nuanced term.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "increasingly perplexed" functions as an adverb-adjective combination, modifying a subject's state of mind. It describes a progressive increase in confusion or bewilderment. Ludwig examples show its use in narrative and descriptive contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "increasingly perplexed" is a grammatically correct and semantically clear construction used to describe a growing sense of confusion or bewilderment. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is suitable for use in written English. While not extremely common, it appears frequently in news and media contexts. Consider using alternatives such as "more and more puzzled" or "growing increasingly confused" to add variety to your writing. Remember that "perplexed" suggests a deeper confusion than simpler terms. By understanding these nuances, you can effectively use "increasingly perplexed" to add depth to your descriptions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more and more puzzled

Replaces "perplexed" with "puzzled" and uses "more and more" instead of "increasingly" to convey a similar intensifying effect.

growing increasingly confused

Substitutes "perplexed" with "confused", maintaining the intensifying adverb "increasingly".

becoming progressively bewildered

Uses "progressively" as a synonym for "increasingly" and "bewildered" as a more intense form of "perplexed".

ever more baffled

Replaces "increasingly" with "ever more" and "perplexed" with "baffled", both suggesting a heightened sense of confusion.

with mounting bewilderment

Expresses the growing confusion as an increasing state of "bewilderment".

as confusion deepened

Shifts the focus to the deepening state of "confusion" rather than directly describing the person experiencing it.

finding it more and more mystifying

Rephrases the confusion as the subject finding something "more and more mystifying".

in a state of growing bafflement

Uses a noun phrase to describe the increasing confusion as a state of "growing bafflement".

becoming more and more lost

Employs a metaphor of being "lost" to convey the sense of increasing confusion.

experiencing rising perplexity

Nominalizes the feeling of being "perplexed" using the term "perplexity" and describing it as "rising".

FAQs

How can I use "increasingly perplexed" in a sentence?

You can use "increasingly perplexed" to describe a gradual increase in someone's confusion. For example, "As the explanation continued, she looked "increasingly perplexed"."

What are some alternatives to saying "increasingly perplexed"?

Alternatives include "more and more puzzled", "growing increasingly confused", or "becoming progressively bewildered", depending on the specific shade of meaning you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "increasingly perplex" instead of "increasingly perplexed"?

No, "increasingly perplex" is grammatically incorrect. "Perplex" is a verb, while "perplexed" is an adjective. You need the adjective form to describe a state of being. You could say "The situation increasingly perplexed her", where "perplexed" is used as a verb in the past tense.

What's the difference between "increasingly perplexed" and "slightly perplexed"?

"Increasingly perplexed" describes a state of confusion that is growing over time, whereas "slightly perplexed" indicates a mild or initial state of confusion. The former suggests a deepening sense of bewilderment, while the latter implies a minor lack of understanding.