1
as in fog
a state of mental uncertainty
the farmer's driving directions to the fairground just left us in total confusion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in havoc
a state in which everything is out of order
it was hard to find anything in that confusion in the attic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in embarrassment
the emotional state of being made self-consciously uncomfortable
thrown into speechless confusion by the wild accusations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of confusion
Upheaval at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has plunged Kentucky's public health infrastructure into a state of confusion and uncertainty, officials said, and some local departments are beginning to question the credibility of the agency's guidance.
—
Connor Giffin, Louisville Courier Journal, 23 Oct. 2025
This absence can intensify feelings of isolation, anxiety, and identity confusion, all of which can increase the risk of perinatal/postpartum depression.
—Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 23 Oct. 2025
But this year, when news of the government shutdown broke, some of that excitement turned to confusion.
—AFAR Media, 23 Oct. 2025
By keeping decision-making and responsibility in human hands, the law aims to avoid confusion about who is accountable when technology fails.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for confusion
Connor Giffin, Louisville Courier Journal, 23 Oct. 2025
This absence can intensify feelings of isolation, anxiety, and identity confusion, all of which can increase the risk of perinatal/postpartum depression.
—Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 23 Oct. 2025
But this year, when news of the government shutdown broke, some of that excitement turned to confusion.
—AFAR Media, 23 Oct. 2025
By keeping decision-making and responsibility in human hands, the law aims to avoid confusion about who is accountable when technology fails.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for confusion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confusion
Noun
-
Neptune retrograde in Pisces, on the other hand, dissolves the fog of illusion, which also serves as an invitation to confront an emotional truth with clarity and compassion.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
-
In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business, and stop.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
To better understand how these storms can wreak so much havoc, our research team created simulations to show how storms interact with Earth’s natural magnetic shield and trigger the dangerous geomagnetic activity that can shut down electric grids.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
24 Oct. 2025
-
The purpose of this drug production is the sale of massive amounts of product into the United States, causing death, destruction, and havoc.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Now, looking back, Spelling bemoans the embarrassment that kept her from speaking out sooner and wants to do her part to normalize the effects of eczema and dismantle the stigma.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Ron Rosenbaum on the Icon and the Enigma To be caught in the spotlight of our pretensions is the worst kind of embarrassment there is.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
What is normal in the state of dementia, where connections are not being made, where tangle is all, objects take on a curious aspect, and where there is an unpleasant flavor to the hours?—
Joy Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
-
In a yarn shop, a tangle of tariffs Sara Heckman’s shop Apricot Yarn & Supply sells yarn from around the world.—
Roxana Popescu,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
On another note, this year’s astro-weather serves as the ultimate backdrop for creativity, chaos and unpredictable fun.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Following a few months of absolute chaos, as Nuno Espirito Santo talked himself out of a job and was replaced by Ange Postecoglou — a man with a footballing ethos that could not have been more different — Dyche is very much needed, as a steady hand on the tiller.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Unlike past contests, this vote has unfolded against a backdrop of deep sociopolitical unease and visible youth engagement.—
Amindeh Blaise Atabong,
semafor.com,
27 Oct. 2025
-
This shift, unprecedented in modern Japanese history, has prompted unease among nationalist groups and some conservative politicians.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The Eagles’ 21-17 Sunday loss to the Denver Broncos contained the perplexity that has in the past provoked fans to picket outside the NovaCare Complex’s gates.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Watch with any attention, and one begins to see his tricks: the squinty perplexity, the restless hands, the worry lines deepened in concentration, then suddenly relaxed.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Ray’s most chaotic photograms—jumbles that push out of the frame or look like time bombs ready to explode—find echoes in his films, projected on the back walls, a show in themselves.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
-
In jumbles of old stones that, to me, are barely legible as the remains of buildings, Cocon López could see the entire timeline of old Aké and how later people interacted with and repurposed what came before.—
Lizzie Wade,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Confusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confusion. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share