1
as in to bewilder
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
the similar-sounding words "censure" and "censor" often confuse people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to complicate
to make (something) unclear to the understanding
stop confusing the issue with irrelevant facts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to mistake
to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related
a lot of people confuse popular fame with enduring achievement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to embarrass
to throw into a state of self-conscious distress
she was confused by the shocking bluntness of his marriage proposal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
vandals had hopelessly confused the papers in the office files
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of confuse
Often confused with henbit—another spring-flowering, mat-forming weed—chickweed has round stems and white flowers, while henbit has square stems and purple flowers.
—
Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 May 2025
Also, some dwarf galaxies appear to contain no dark matter, and some have far fewer stars than expected, even below the theoretical lower limit, further confusing the issue.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 8 May 2025
The judge, confused by the video, asked Dewald if the person on screen was his attorney.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 7 May 2025
And when the series takes an occasional serious turn, you'll just be confused.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for confuse
Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 May 2025
Also, some dwarf galaxies appear to contain no dark matter, and some have far fewer stars than expected, even below the theoretical lower limit, further confusing the issue.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 8 May 2025
The judge, confused by the video, asked Dewald if the person on screen was his attorney.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 7 May 2025
And when the series takes an occasional serious turn, you'll just be confused.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for confuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confuse
Verb
-
They were bewildered for me, and so was all the other staff.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Small wonder many of the migrants are disoriented and bewildered.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
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While their relationship is complicated, to say the least, Serena doesn't want to see June executed.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
20 May 2025
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Start connecting with your ideal clients today Getting calls with your dream customers isn't complicated.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
Verb
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But the creature is quickly adopted by Lilo (Maia Kealoha), a precocious child with a special love for animals, at a kennel where he has been mistaken for an ugly dog.—
Gregory Nussen,
Deadline,
20 May 2025
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The instinct to manage outcomes, influence how others behave, and keep everything in place can easily be mistaken for strength.—
Moira Forbes,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
Verb
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Johnson’s predecessor, Larry Robinson, resigned last year amid fallout from a fake $237 million donation scandal that embarrassed the school on the national stage.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
17 May 2025
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What’s made the 18th so fun this week is its ability — even for just a second — to embarrass the best golfers on the planet.—
Jordan Kaye,
Charlotte Observer,
17 May 2025
Verb
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Indeed, on Thursday in Basel, a small group of protesters blew whistles and waved flags to disrupt one of Raphael’s public rehearsals.—
Alex Marshall,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
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Light pollution disrupts animal behavior, interrupts plant cycles, and affects human health.—
Valerie Stimac,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
Verb
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Many observers were perplexed that an eighty-two-year-old man with virtually unlimited access to medical care—and about whose health there has been virtually unlimited conjecture—could have gone undiagnosed until the cancer threatened his life.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
22 May 2025
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Social-media users were undoubtedly perplexed by the bone discovery, leading to more than 860 comments on the Instagram video.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 May 2025
Verb
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The 20-episode series aims to blur the line between reality and imagination, mixing comedy and drama with a nostalgic nod to the vibrant ’90s era that shaped him.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
15 May 2025
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Further blurring the picture: the Trump administration announced a 90-day pause on the highest import fees for dozens of countries in early April and a similar truce with China on Monday that allows the two sides negotiate further.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
14 May 2025
Verb
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In any other circumstance, I would have been flustered, embarrassed, and ready to drag her out of there and straight into a time-out.—
Staff Author,
Parents,
5 May 2025
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Midway through Donald Trump‘s 100-day interview with ABC’s Terry Moran, the president got flustered.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Confuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confuse. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
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