confuse

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verb

Definition of CONFUSE

1

to throw into a state of mental uncertainty <the similar-sounding words “censure” and “censor” often confuse people>

Synonyms addle, baffle, bamboozle, beat, befog, befuddle, bemuse, bewilder, buffalo, confound, discombobulate, disorient, flummox, fox, fuddle, get, gravel, maze, muddle, muddy, mystify, perplex, pose, puzzle, vex

Related Words stick, stump, weird out; abash, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, mortify, nonplus, rattle; agitate, bother, chagrin, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distress, disturb, perturb, stun, unhinge, unsettle, upset; beguile, cozen, deceive, delude, dupe, fool, gull, hoax, hoodwink, humbug, misguide, mislead, snow, string along, take in, trick

Phrases blow one's mind, go to one's head

Near Antonyms assure, reassure, satisfy; enlighten, inform

2

to make (something) unclear to the understanding <stop confusing the issue with irrelevant facts>

Synonyms becloud, befog, blur, cloud, fog, muddy, obfuscate

Related Words complicate, perplex, sophisticate; entangle, snarl, tangle; disarrange, disarray, discompose, dishevel, disorder, disrupt, disturb, jumble, mess (up), mix (up), muddle, scramble, shuffle, tousle, upset

Near Antonyms simplify, streamline; disentangle, straighten (out), undo, unravel, unscramble, untangle; decipher, decode; analyze, break down

Antonyms clarify, clear (up), illuminate

3

to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related <a lot of people confuse popular fame with enduring achievement>

Synonyms conflate, confound, mistake, mix (up)

Related Words lump (together); misapply, miscall, misidentify, misname

Antonyms difference, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, separate

4

to throw into a state of self-conscious distress <she was confused by the shocking bluntness of his marriage proposal>

Synonyms abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, faze, fluster, mortify, nonplus, rattle

Related Words agitate, bother, chagrin, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distress, disturb, perturb, put off, put out, unhinge, unsettle, upset; debase, degrade, demean, humble, humiliate, queer, shame

Near Antonyms calm, comfort, console, relieve, soothe; buoy, cheer, embolden, encourage, hearten; assure, reassure

5

to undo the proper order or arrangement of <vandals had hopelessly confused the papers in the office files>

Synonyms confuse, derange, disarrange, disarray, discompose, dishevel, disjoint, dislocate, disorganize, disrupt, disturb, hash, jumble, mess (up), mix (up), muddle, muss, rumple, scramble, shuffle, tousle, tumble, upset

Related Words embroil, entangle, snarl, tangle; agitate, perturb, stir (up), unsettle; clutter

Near Antonyms align (also aline), line, line up, queue; classify, codify, methodize, systematize, systemize; adjust, fix; groom, make up, spruce (up); unscramble

Antonyms arrange, array, dispose, draw up, marshal (also marshall), order, organize, range, regulate, straighten (up), tidy