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Curious vs Puzzled - What's the difference?

curious | puzzled |

As adjectives the difference between curious and puzzled

is that curious is (lb) fastidious, particular; demanding a high standard of excellence, difficult to satisfy while puzzled is confused or perplexed.

As a verb puzzled is

(puzzle).

curious

English

Adjective

(en-adj)
  • (lb) Fastidious, particular; demanding a high standard of excellence, difficult to satisfy.
  • *1612 , , Proceedings of the English Colonie in Virginia , in Kupperman 1988, p.172:
  • *:But departing thence, when we found no houses, we were not curious in any weather, to lie 3 or 4 nights together upon any shore under the trees by a good fire.
  • *(Thomas Fuller) (1606-1661)
  • *:little curious in her clothes
  • Inquisitive; tending to ask questions, investigate, or explore.
  • :
  • Prompted by curiosity.
  • *1590 , (Edmund Spenser), (The Faerie Queene) , III.ix:
  • *:But he to shift their curious request, / Gan causen, why she could not come in place.
  • Unusual; odd; out of the ordinary; bizarre.
  • :
  • *
  • *:Captain Edward Carlisle, soldier as he was, martinet as he was, felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze, her alluring smile?; he could not tell what this prisoner might do.
  • (lb) Exhibiting care or nicety; artfully constructed; elaborate; wrought with elegance or skill.
  • *(Bible), (w) xxxv.32
  • *:to devise curious works
  • *(William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
  • *:his body couched in a curious bed
  • puzzled

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Confused or perplexed.
  • * 1848 , , Vanity Fair , Bradbury and Sons, 11:
  • (...) when the day of the departure came, between her two customs of laughing and crying, Miss Sedley was greatly puzzled how to act.
  • * 1920 , (Herman Cyril McNeile), Bulldog Drummond Chapter 1
  • Once or twice he scratched his head, and stared out of the window with a puzzled frown. And each time, after a brief survey of the other side of Half Moon Street, he turned back again to the breakfast table with a grin.

    Derived terms

    * puzzledly * puzzledness

    Verb

    (head)
  • (puzzle)