Replace the underlined word with the most appropriate synonym:-
John found himself frequently stumped by the kind of questions his 3-year-old son asked.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → baffled
To be stumped is to be unable to answer or understand something. Small children often ask questions that their parents cannot answer. Its synonym is baffled.
Example: The last question in the quiz stumped every team.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) aghast | filled with horror or shock (a child's questions puzzle a parent, they do not horrify him) | She stood aghast at the sight of the broken window. |
| (2) horrified | very shocked and upset (it describes fear or disgust, not being unable to answer) | We were horrified by the news of the accident. |
| (3) baffled (answer) | totally puzzled, unable to understand or explain (a father who has no answer to his son's questions is baffled) | The doctors were baffled by her strange illness. |
| (4) irritated | annoyed (one may be irritated by questions and still know the answers) | He was irritated by the constant noise. |
| Also asked in CUET (UG): baffle – 18-05-2026 Slot 2, 08-08-2022 Slot 1 |