perplexed

/pɚˈplɛkst/

//pɚˈplɛkst// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"perplexed" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“perplexed” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #27,242. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#27,242
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords
14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Confused or puzzled.

Corpus desk

Index EN-perplexed · perplexed · English

perplexed · rank #27,242 · 14 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #27,242
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH pastries

Nearest frequency peer: pastries (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbourhood for “perplexed”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “perplexed” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for perplexed
PropertyValue
Headwordperplexed
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/pɚˈplɛkst/
Letters9
Frequency rank#27,242
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “perplexed” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).perplexedlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “pastries” (#27,241), “persistently” (#27,243), “parochial” (#27,240). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around perplexed (IPA /pɚˈplɛkst/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #27,242 among 4,417 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for perplexed, with forms such as "eprplexed", "peprlexed", and "perlpexed". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct English form is perplexed, spelled P-E-R-P-L-E-X-E-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    Confused or puzzled.
  2. 2
    Bewildered.
  3. 3
    Entangled; labyrinthine.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how perplexed appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The scientists were perplexed by the new discovery.
  2. She was perplexed. 'Plege'illegience is plege'illegience!'"

This word in other languages

perplejo(Español)perplexe(Français)perplex(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • eprplexed
  • peprlexed
  • perlpexed
  • perpelxed
  • perpleexd
  • perplexde
  • perplexedd
  • perplexxed
  • perpllexed
  • perplxeed
  • perpplexed
  • perrplexed
  • pperplexed
  • preplexed

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of perplexed - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

eprplexed2peprlexed2perlpexed2perpelxed2perpleexd2perplexde2perplexedd1perplexxed1
Edit distance from "perplexed"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "perplexed"?
"perplexed" is spelled P-E-R-P-L-E-X-E-D. The IPA pronunciation is /pɚˈplɛkst/.
What does "perplexed" mean?
As an adjective, "perplexed" means: Confused or puzzled.
What are common misspellings of "perplexed"?
Common misspellings include "eprplexed", "peprlexed", "perlpexed", "perpelxed", "perpleexd". The correct spelling is "perplexed".
How do you pronounce "perplexed"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "perplexed" is /pɚˈplɛkst/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "perplexed" come from?
"perplexed" is a English word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "perplexed", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

parochial#27,240phenotype#27,246observant#27,234melodrama#27,214

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

narcissism14 variantsregretting14 variantsretracted14 variantsmasquerade14 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "perplexed". Here's where to go from here.

  • 14 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #27,242 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "P" letter cohort. P–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list