confused

adjective

con·​fused kən-ˈfyüzd 

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 trail …

—Harry Hervey

3

: being disordered or mixed up

a contradictory and often confused story

confusedly

kən-ˈfyü-zəd-lē 

-ˈfyüzd-

adverb

confusedness

kən-ˈfyü-zəd-nəs 

-ˈfyüz(d)-

noun

Synonyms of confused

• messy
• chaotic
• littered
• jumbled
• sloppy
• cluttered
• messed
• muddled
• filthy

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

The Citi Field crowd seemed both confused and enthused when the opening notes of Jackson’s 1982 hit began to play. — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2026

In response to a cryptic message, Hal rockets to Rushville—literally, because his ring gives him the power of flight—arriving to a murder scene and leaving a confused John to follow by plane. — Judy Berman, Time, 14 Aug. 2026

Ocasio-Cortez’s choice to share her egg-freezing publicly has kicked off furious debate and confused hand-wringing among conservatives. — Anna Russell, New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2026

The change has left some users feeling confused about what now makes Bumble unique in comparison to other dating apps, like Tinder and Hinge, where all users have the ability to send a message first. — Greta Cross, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English — more at confuse

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for confused

• disabused
• overused
• underused
• unexcused
• abused
• accused
• amused
• bemused
• contused
• defused
• diffused
• disused

Medical Definition

confused

adjective

con·​fused kən-ˈfyüzd 

: affected with mental confusion