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
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.
The home appeared on Zillow Gone Wild, a Facebook page that highlights unique houses on the real estate market, and people were a little confused about the interior style. Tj MacIas 10, Miami Herald, 10 July 2025 Everyone was very confused about whether the watch’s band could be resized because only one kind of wrist was shown in the commercial. Seth Reiss, New Yorker, 10 July 2025 But a lot of them were still confused about the main idea of a paragraph. NBC news, 6 July 2025 Typically, the meetings aren't well-attended, and the board regularly seems confused on how to proceed through its meetings without breaking Ohio's sunshine laws. Madeline Mitchell, The Enquirer, 3 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for confused

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Confused.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confused. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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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