CONFOUND Synonyms: 156 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'confound' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of confound are bewilder , distract , dumbfound , nonplus , perplex , and puzzle . While all these words mean "to baffle and disturb mentally," confound implies temporary mental paralysis caused by astonishment or profound abasement. // the tragic news confounded us all

Q: When might 'bewilder' be a better fit than 'confound'?

In some situations, the words bewilder and confound are roughly equivalent. However, bewilder stresses a confusion of mind that hampers clear and decisive thinking. // a bewildering number of possibilities

Q: Where would 'distract' be a reasonable alternative to 'confound'?

While the synonyms distract and confound are close in meaning, distract implies agitation or uncertainty induced by conflicting preoccupations or interests. // distracted by personal problems

Q: When can 'dumbfound' be used instead of 'confound'?

The words dumbfound and confound are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, dumbfound suggests intense but momentary confounding; often the idea of astonishment is so stressed that it becomes a near synonym of astound . // was at first too dumbfounded to reply

Q: When could 'nonplus' be used to replace 'confound'?

The synonyms nonplus and confound are sometimes interchangeable, but nonplus implies a bafflement that makes orderly planning or deciding impossible. // the remark left us utterly nonplussed

Q: In what contexts can 'perplex' take the place of 'confound'?

The meanings of perplex and confound largely overlap; however, perplex adds a suggestion of worry and uncertainty especially about making a necessary decision. // a behavior that perplexed her friends

Q: When would 'puzzle' be a good substitute for 'confound'?

The words puzzle and confound can be used in similar contexts, but puzzle implies existence of a problem difficult to solve. // the persistent fever puzzled the doctor

confound

verb

kən-ˈfau̇nd

Definition of confound next

as in to confuse

to throw into a state of mental uncertainty we were confounded by the player's remote control, which wasn't at all user-friendly

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to embarrass

to throw into a state of self-conscious distress his renewed popularity has confounded the critics who said his singing career was dead

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as in to conflate

to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related I think you've confounded astrology with astronomy

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as in to refute

to prove to be false new discoveries that confound much of what archaeologists thought they knew about the Mayan civilization

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb confound differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of confound are bewilder, distract, dumbfound, nonplus, perplex, and puzzle. While all these words mean "to baffle and disturb mentally," confound implies temporary mental paralysis caused by astonishment or profound abasement.

the tragic news confounded us all

When might bewilder be a better fit than confound?

In some situations, the words bewilder and confound are roughly equivalent. However, bewilder stresses a confusion of mind that hampers clear and decisive thinking.

a bewildering number of possibilities

Where would distract be a reasonable alternative to confound?

While the synonyms distract and confound are close in meaning, distract implies agitation or uncertainty induced by conflicting preoccupations or interests.

distracted by personal problems

When can dumbfound be used instead of confound?

The words dumbfound and confound are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, dumbfound suggests intense but momentary confounding; often the idea of astonishment is so stressed that it becomes a near synonym of astound.

was at first too dumbfounded to reply

When could nonplus be used to replace confound?

The synonyms nonplus and confound are sometimes interchangeable, but nonplus implies a bafflement that makes orderly planning or deciding impossible.

the remark left us utterly nonplussed

In what contexts can perplex take the place of confound?

The meanings of perplex and confound largely overlap; however, perplex adds a suggestion of worry and uncertainty especially about making a necessary decision.

a behavior that perplexed her friends

When would puzzle be a good substitute for confound?

The words puzzle and confound can be used in similar contexts, but puzzle implies existence of a problem difficult to solve.

the persistent fever puzzled the doctor

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of confound The Vanderbilt product confounded Reds batters, inducing 18 swings and misses while only giving up one run and four hits in five innings with nine strikeouts. —

Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2026 The president spent much of his confounding talk, little more than a collection of soundbites, really, on the glories of his limited accomplishments these past few weeks. —

The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026 This decision is extra confounding because the romance genre is booming, gaining more and more readers every year since 2020. —

Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026 Keywords and concepts are linked to objects and ephemera, which are tagged and cross-referenced in a dense network that both thrills and confounds. —

Katherine Rochester, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for confound

Recent Examples of Synonyms for confound

Verb

But Neptune also blurs lines, which is why its influence can feel mysterious or even confusing at times.

— Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
The threats have left operators confused and frozen, unwilling to attempt passage, due to safety fears and uncertainty about Iran's new fee system.

— NPR Staff, NPR, 10 Apr. 2026