The AI-powered English dictionary
countable and uncountable, plural bafflements
(uncountable) The result or state of being baffled, confused, or puzzled. quotations examples
"Have you any theory about this occurrence to-night?" She watched him eagerly as she asked the question. He made a gesture of bafflement. "None whatever—it's beyond me," he confessed.
1920, Mary Roberts Rinehart, Avery Hopwood, chapter XII, in The Bat: A Novel from the Play (Dell Book; 241), New York, N.Y.: Dell Publishing Company
The error here is to confuse British composure with the appearance of bafflement, embarrassment and reserve.
2008, Chris Rojek, Brit-Myth: Who Do the British Think They Are?, Reaktion Books
(countable) Something that causes a state of confusion or puzzlement. quotations examples
The cartoon characters on the front cover, the irritatingly meaningless track names . . make it seem like a concept album about global warming for kids. Since the lyrics remain a bafflement, it might well be.
2005 December 16, Josh Tyrangiel, “Best of 2005: Music”, in Time, New York, N.Y.: Time Inc., archived from the original on 2006-09-13