confusion

noun

con·​fu·​sion kən-ˈfyü-zhən 

1

: an act or instance of confusing

confusion of the issue

2

a

: the quality or state of being confused

mental confusion

During the night orders and counterorders added to the confusion, … and by morning the VIth Corps was in a disorganized shambles …

—Barbara W. Tuchman

b

: a confused mass or mixture

a confusion of voices

confusional

kən-ˈfyü-zh(ə-)nəl 

adjective

Synonyms of confusion

• fog
• tangle
• perplexity
• bewilderment
• discomfort
• befuddlement
• distress
• embarrassment
• bafflement

Examples of confusion in a Sentence

There is still some confusion as to the time of the meeting.

There is a great deal of confusion about how the system works.

the anxieties and confusions of teenage life

He stared in confusion and disbelief.

There was total confusion when the truck hit the restaurant.

Recent Examples on the Web

Washington — The Federal Reserve has remained mum about interest rates as inflation concerns have heightened, leading to confusion about the state of the US economy. — Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 27 July 2026

Already preparing for its fourth corporate ownership change in the past decade, employees at the company will experience confusion and inertia in the coming months. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 24 July 2026

Taylor Farms' lettuce has been the only source named by the FDA thus far, though even that has prompted some confusion. — Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 24 July 2026

When Bowman then signed Stanley Cup-winning starter Frederik Andersen, the confusion deepened. — Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 24 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English confusioun "ruin, disgrace, disorder," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French confusiun, borrowed from Latin confūsiōn-, confūsiō "mixing, combining, disorder, consternation," from confud-, variant stem of confundere "to pour together, blend, bring into disorder, destroy, disconcert" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at confound

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for confusion

• allusion
• collusion
• conclusion
• contusion
• delusion
• diffusion
• effusion
• exclusion
• extrusion
• illusion
• inclusion
• infusion

Kids Definition

confusion

noun

con·​fu·​sion kən-ˈfyü-zhən 

1

: an act or instance of confusing

2

: the quality or state of being confused

her confusion was obvious

Medical Definition

confusion

noun

con·​fu·​sion kən-ˈfyü-zhən 

: disturbance of consciousness characterized by inability to engage in orderly thought or by lack of power to distinguish, choose, or act decisively

confusional

-zhnəl, -zhən-ᵊl 

adjective

Legal Definition

confusion

noun

con·​fu·​sion

1

in the civil law of Louisiana : a uniting of two interests or rights in property into one compare merger sense 1

2

in the civil law of Louisiana : the termination of an obligation by a person acquiring the right from which the obligation arose

3

: the mixing or blending together of goods or commodities so that the individual owners cannot identify their own property

called also confusion of goods