# baffle

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈbæfl̩/ · frequency rank #40,574

## Definitions
1. To confuse or perplex (someone) completely; to bewilder, to confound, to puzzle.
2. To defeat, frustrate, or thwart (someone or their efforts, plans, etc.); to confound, to foil.
3. To defeat, frustrate, or thwart (someone or their efforts, plans, etc.); to confound, to foil.
4. To dampen, muffle, restrain, or otherwise control (a fluid, or waves travelling through a fluid such as light or sound).
5. To deceive or hoodwink (someone); to gull.
6. Followed by away or out: to deprive of (something) through cheating or manipulation; also (followed by out of), to deprive of something by cheating or manipulating (someone).
7. To expend effort or struggle in vain.
8. To argue or complain in a petty or trivial manner; to quibble.

## Etymology
The origin of the verb is uncertain; it is possibly:
* from French bafouer, baffoüer (“to abuse, revile; to confuse, baffle; to deceive; to flout; to scorn”), imitative of someone making a disdainful sound by expelling air quickly through pouted lips (compare Occitan baf (interjection expressing disdain)); or
* from French befer, beffer, beffler (“(obsolete) to deceive; to mock, ridicule”) (compare Old French befe, beffe, buffe (“deception; mockery”); beferie (“deceit; quibbling”)), possibly from bafouer: see above.
The noun is derived from the verb.
Cognates
* Italian beffare (“(verb) to deride, mock”), beffa (“(noun) banter; mockery”)
* Occitan bafar (“(verb) to deride, mock”), bafa (“(noun) banter; mockery”)
* Old Spanish bafa (modern Spanish befa (“(noun) banter; mockery”))
* Spanish befar (“(verb) to deride, mock”)

## Easily confused with
- **bale** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baffle-vs-bale)
- **battle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baffle-vs-battle)
- **baffled** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baffle-vs-baffled)
- **babble** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/babble-vs-baffle)

## Common misspellings (7)
`abffle`, `baffel`, `bafflle`, `bafle`, `baflfe`, `bbaffle`, `bfafle`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/baffle