confused

adjective

con·​fused kən-ˈfyüzd How to pronounce confused (audio)
1
a
: being perplexed or disconcerted
the confused students
b
: disoriented with regard to one's sense of time, place, or identity
The patient became confused.
2
: indistinguishable
a zigzag, crisscross, confused trailHarry Hervey
3
: being disordered or mixed up
a contradictory and often confused story
confusedly adverb
confusedness noun

Examples of confused in a Sentence

I've never been so confused. We're confused about what to do next. He gave a confused speech denying the accusations.
Recent Examples on the Web Since this half-baked decision yesterday, our delegates are very confused and upset. Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, 28 Feb. 2024 But the only real urgency came from a man in a blue uniform, jogging through the confused crowd. Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024 Aside from a poignant, confused silence that usually follows the women’s announcement, the reactions sit somewhere between protective, supportive and realistic–much in line with the huge risks of injury and death that oil rig workers face in exchange for a relatively high salary. Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 27 Feb. 2024 Echoing others in the forum, another Redditor was confused about the future status of peer-to-peer payments. Janhoi McGregor, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Many doctors and patients are confused about which elements of fertility treatment are restricted, following the Alabama Supreme Court decision last week, and at least three Alabama providers have paused IVF services. Aria Bendix, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2024 In addition, the ruling’s broader implications have patients and doctors rightfully worried and confused. Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 23 Feb. 2024 Despite its growing popularity, however, this novel interview style still leaves many viewers frustrated, annoyed and just overall confused — at least, when Althoff does it. Anna Tingley, Variety, 21 Feb. 2024 The words, once popular in slime making, have taken on a new meaning, and it’s left TikTok users a bit confused. Paloma Chavez, Miami Herald, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'confused.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English — more at confuse

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of confused was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near confused

Cite this Entry

“Confused.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confused. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

confused

adjective
con·​fused kən-ˈfyüzd How to pronounce confused (audio)
: affected with mental confusion

More from Merriam-Webster on confused

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