confounds; confounded; confounding
1
: to surprise and confuse (someone or something)
The strategy confounded our opponents.
The murder case has confounded investigators.
—often used as (be) confoundedInvestors were confounded by the conflicting reports.
2
: to prove (someone or something) wrong
The school's team confounded all predictions and won the game.
The success of the show confounded critics.
3
informal + old-fashioned
—used as an interjection to express anger or annoyance
Confound it! I can't find my keys!
Cite this Entry
“Confound.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/confound. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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