mystify
gb/mˈɪstəfˌaɪ/ us/mˈɪstəfˌaɪ/
C1
Inglês
Acepções
0 acepção
Verbo
C1
action
1
confuse someone completely
To make someone feel confused because they do not understand.
Padrão de uso:
mystify [someone] (with/by [something])
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes confuse mystified (confused) with mysterious (strange or unknown).
Sinônimos
confuse (More general and common.)
|
puzzle (Suggests the person is trying to understand.)
|
baffle (Stronger; suggests total inability to understand.)
Antônimos
clarify (Makes something easier to understand.)
|
explain (Gives reasons or details so it becomes clear.)
Colocações
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
Temas
communication
|thinking
|emotions
Exemplos
- 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.
Exemplos para estudantes
- This question mystifies me.
- The map mystified us.
Verbo
C1
action
2
make something harder to understand
To make something difficult to understand by making it seem complicated or secret.
Padrão de uso:
mystify [something] (for [someone])
Erro comum:
In this sense, mystify is about making the subject unclear (not about creating real mystery or magic).
Sinônimos
obscure (Emphasizes hiding or blocking understanding.)
|
complicate (Emphasizes making something more complex than it needs to be.)
|
muddy (Informal; emphasizes making something less clear.)
Antônimos
simplify (Makes something easier to understand.)
|
demystify (Explains something so it seems less mysterious or complex.)
Colocações
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
Temas
communication
|education
|media
Exemplos
- 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.
Exemplos para estudantes
- Please don’t mystify it—explain it simply.
- Jargon can mystify new learners.
Gramática
Forma no dicionário
mystify
AFI
GB/mˈɪstəfˌaɪ/
US/mˈɪstəfˌaɪ/
Sílabas e tonicidade
mys - ti - fy (3 sílabas)
Stress on 1st syllable (mys)
Formas da palavra
Verb
- Base: mystify
- 3rd Person Singular: mystifies
- Present Participle: mystifying
- Past: mystified
Família de palavras
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
Expressões
be mystified (by/at [something])
1/bˈi mˈɪstəfˌaɪd bˈaɪət sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
be very confused
To not understand something and feel confused.
Exemplos
- 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.
Exemplos
- 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.