1
as in to confuse
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
we were confounded by the player's remote control, which wasn't at all user-friendly
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to embarrass
to throw into a state of self-conscious distress
his renewed popularity has confounded the critics who said his singing career was dead
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to conflate
to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related
I think you've confounded astrology with astronomy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to refute
to prove to be false
new discoveries that confound much of what archaeologists thought they knew about the Mayan civilization
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of confound
Penn State’s Drew Shelton is another confounding tackle prospect.
—
Dane Brugler, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
But teasing apart why that happens is difficult, because human studies are confounded by so many factors – diet, smoking stress, lifestyle.
—New Atlas, 2 Oct. 2025
The case confounded investigators for years, while the case was marred by false confessions, allegations of intimidation, and thousands of tips.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025
That sort of effect from what meteorologists call outflow could be a confounding factor as the situation unfolds because existing forecast models don’t re-create it realistically, Gerard says.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for confound
Dane Brugler, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
But teasing apart why that happens is difficult, because human studies are confounded by so many factors – diet, smoking stress, lifestyle.
—New Atlas, 2 Oct. 2025
The case confounded investigators for years, while the case was marred by false confessions, allegations of intimidation, and thousands of tips.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025
That sort of effect from what meteorologists call outflow could be a confounding factor as the situation unfolds because existing forecast models don’t re-create it realistically, Gerard says.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for confound
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confound
Verb
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One of the higher-ups felt my title Stairway to Heaven would be confused with the 1939 movie of the same name.—
Cameron Crowe,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Oct. 2025
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Historically, people disguised themselves in mystical and mythical ensembles time of year in order to confuse ghosts and deter them from wreaking havoc; the Celts even carved faces into vegetables to keep the entities away from their food.—
Lisa Stardust,
Vogue,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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For French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, the heist spotlights embarrassing security failings at one of France’s most venerable institutions.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
21 Oct. 2025
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The New York Mets fell short of the postseason in embarrassing fashion last season, so this offseason is going to be more important than ever.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Together, these women find respite from, and at times refute, perennial patriarchal powers.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Oct. 2025
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Bovino appeared before Ellis on Tuesday after the plaintiffs accused him of throwing a tear gas canister into a crowd of demonstrators without justification or warning – a characterization DHS has refuted.—
Devan Cole,
CNN Money,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Illston appeared frustrated and perplexed by the government's unwillingness to engage on the merits during the hearing.—
Andrea Hsu,
NPR,
15 Oct. 2025
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The 18 runs plundered off one over was the most Jasprit Bumrah had ever conceded in Tests, leaving the bowler perplexed as he was replaced.—
Sam Dalling,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The outcome, with no legal means to be overturned, further cements Biya’s decades-long grip on power and underscores the resilience of Cameroon’s entrenched political system, largely based on patronage.—
Amindeh Blaise Atabong,
semafor.com,
27 Oct. 2025
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Initially found guilty, both were ordered to pay €8,000 ($9,310) in damages to Brigitte Macron, and €5,000 ($5,810) to her brother, but the ruling was overturned in July, with that last decision now under appeal.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Nandi is experiencing severe insomnia, tremors and psychosis, and her quickly deteriorating condition bewilders the emergency room staff.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
21 Oct. 2025
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Gelles avoids lionizing Patagonia’s leader, describing Chouinard’s mercurial leadership style that often bewildered his staff at Patagonia.—
Maya Silver,
Outside,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The study authors looked at 13 samples and found no traces of typhus, but their work does not discredit the findings of the 2006 study, the researchers noted.—
Taylor Nicioli,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
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Many fans have welcomed her to the two-time winners club, joining the likes of Tony Vlachos and Sandra Diaz-Twine, while others have discredited her triumph.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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He was baffled as if there does not appear to be any point of access for an animal the size of a ground hog.—
Chris McKeown,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
25 Oct. 2025
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She was baffled by his sudden enterprise.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Confound.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confound. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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