The Merriam-Webster Word of the Day is flummox. Read on for what it means, how it’s used, and more.

What It Means

Flummox means “to confuse.”

// Why the error message kept popping up flummoxed the computer tech.

FLUMMOX in Context

“It was an unfortunate ending for a defense that sputtered early as a bunch of new faces learned to adjust…. The late-season collapse, which included an inability to … consistently pressure the quarterback, flummoxed players and coaches alike.” — Jim McBride, The Boston Globe, 11 Mar. 2022

Did You Know?

No one is completely sure where the word flummox comes from, but Charles Dickens was aware of it and used it in his 1837 novel The Pickwick Papers. It became quite common in both British and American English by the end of the 19th century.