mystify
gb/mˈɪstəfˌaɪ/ us/mˈɪstəfˌaɪ/
C1
Anglais
Sens
0 sens
Verbe
C1
action
1
confuse someone completely
To make someone feel confused because they do not understand.
Schéma d’usage :
mystify [someone] (with/by [something])
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse mystified (confused) with mysterious (strange or unknown).
Synonymes
confuse (More general and common.)
|
puzzle (Suggests the person is trying to understand.)
|
baffle (Stronger; suggests total inability to understand.)
Antonymes
clarify (Makes something easier to understand.)
|
explain (Gives reasons or details so it becomes clear.)
Collocations
mystify the audience
|mystify readers
|mystify viewers
|mystify the police
|mystify scientists
|mystify customers
|mystify voters
|completely mystify
|mystify someone with jargon
|mystify someone by changing the rules
Thèmes
communication
|thinking
|emotions
Exemples
- The sudden drop in sales mystified the whole team.
- Her reaction mystified me—I thought she’d be pleased.
- The instructions mystified him, so he asked for help.
Exemples pédagogiques
- This question mystifies me.
- The map mystified us.
Verbe
C1
action
2
make something harder to understand
To make something difficult to understand by making it seem complicated or secret.
Schéma d’usage :
mystify [something] (for [someone])
Erreur fréquente :
In this sense, mystify is about making the subject unclear (not about creating real mystery or magic).
Synonymes
obscure (Emphasizes hiding or blocking understanding.)
|
complicate (Emphasizes making something more complex than it needs to be.)
|
muddy (Informal; emphasizes making something less clear.)
Antonymes
simplify (Makes something easier to understand.)
|
demystify (Explains something so it seems less mysterious or complex.)
Collocations
mystify the process
|mystify the issue
|mystify the subject
|mystify the debate
|mystify a simple idea
|mystify the public
|mystify the facts
|deliberately mystify
|mystify through technical language
|mystify with complex explanations
Thèmes
communication
|education
|media
Exemples
- Some legal documents mystify a straightforward issue with needless jargon.
- He tried to mystify the explanation so no one would question his numbers.
- The speaker mystified the topic instead of making it clearer.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Please don’t mystify it—explain it simply.
- Jargon can mystify new learners.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
mystify
API
GB/mˈɪstəfˌaɪ/
US/mˈɪstəfˌaɪ/
Syllabes et accentuation
mys - ti - fy (3 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (mys)
Formes du mot
Verb
- Base: mystify
- 3rd Person Singular: mystifies
- Present Participle: mystifying
- Past: mystified
Famille de mots
Forms
mystifies
verb
mystifying
verb
mystified
verb
Core family
Related words
mystification
noun
mystical
adjective B2
Negative and opposite forms
demystify
verb C1
Advanced or less common
demystification
noun C1
mysticism
noun
Expressions
be mystified (by/at [something])
1/bˈi mˈɪstəfˌaɪd bˈaɪət sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
be very confused
To not understand something and feel confused.
Exemples
- I was mystified by the final scene of the film.
- She seemed mystified at his sudden apology.
- They were mystified by how the data disappeared.
mystify the issue/matter
1/mˈɪstəfˌaɪ ðə ɪsˈʊmətɚ/
fixed phrase
make a problem less clear
To make a problem more confusing.
Exemples
- The report mystified the issue instead of addressing it clearly.
- Don’t mystify the matter—tell us what changed.
- The spokesperson mystified the issue with vague answers.