puzzle over
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
But the seismic activity fizzled out and nothing else happened, leaving volcanologists and seismologists to puzzle over the episode.
—
Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2026
The hunt has come up short, leaving physicists puzzling over what to do next.
—Quanta Magazine, 8 Apr. 2026
At the time, economists were puzzling over a big question about how to measure cost of living.
—Literary Hub, 8 Apr. 2026
Faith amid the dip While some churchgoers puzzle over what to make of crypto, Renee has found that at least one pulpit is welcoming.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for puzzle over
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Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2026
The hunt has come up short, leaving physicists puzzling over what to do next.
—Quanta Magazine, 8 Apr. 2026
At the time, economists were puzzling over a big question about how to measure cost of living.
—Literary Hub, 8 Apr. 2026
Faith amid the dip While some churchgoers puzzle over what to make of crypto, Renee has found that at least one pulpit is welcoming.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for puzzle over
Cite this Entry
“Puzzle over.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puzzle%20over. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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