puzzle over

phrasal verb

puzzled over; puzzling over; puzzles over
: to think or worry for a long time about (something)
He's been puzzling over what went wrong.

Examples of puzzle over in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Readers puzzled over trivia about lengthy talking and tenures in Congress and aced the answers. Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 23 May 2025 What traces will humanity leave embedded in ancient strata of rock for future paleontologists to detect, study and puzzle over? Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2025 Economists, political scientists and sociologists have all puzzled over this phenomenon of how a country that is rich in resources can be so abysmally underdeveloped and stricken by conflict? Saleem H. Ali, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025 Scientists have long puzzled over the Lapedo child’s curious blend of human and Neanderthal traits. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for puzzle over

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Puzzle over.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puzzle%20over. Accessed 9 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!