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1
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
- we were confounded by the player's remote control, which wasn't at all user-friendly
- addle,
- baffle,
- bamboozle,
- beat,
- befog,
- befuddle,
- bemuse,
- bewilder,
- buffalo,
- confuse,
- discombobulate,
- disorient,
- flummox,
- fox,
- fuddle,
- get,
- gravel,
- maze,
- muddle,
- muddy,
- mystify,
- perplex,
- pose,
- puzzle,
- vex
- agitate,
- bother,
- chagrin,
- discomfort,
- discompose,
- dismay,
- disquiet,
- distress,
- disturb,
- perturb,
- stun,
- unhinge,
- unsettle,
- upset
- beguile,
- cozen,
- deceive,
- delude,
- dupe,
- fool,
- gull,
- hoax,
- hoodwink,
- humbug,
- misguide,
- mislead,
- snow,
- string along,
- take in,
- trick
2
to throw into a state of self-conscious distress
- his renewed popularity has confounded the critics who said his singing career was dead
- abash,
- confuse,
- discomfit,
- disconcert,
- discountenance,
- embarrass,
- faze,
- fluster,
- mortify,
- nonplus,
- rattle
- agitate,
- bother,
- chagrin,
- discomfort,
- discompose,
- dismay,
- disquiet,
- distress,
- disturb,
- perturb,
- put off,
- put out,
- unhinge,
- unsettle,
- upset
3
to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related
- I think you've confounded astrology with astronomy
4
to prove to be false
- new discoveries that confound much of what archaeologists thought they knew about the Mayan civilization
Frequently Asked Questions About confound
How does the verb confound differ from other similar words?
Some common synonyms of confound are bewilder, distract, dumbfound, nonplus, perplex, and puzzle. While all these words mean "to baffle and disturb mentally," confound implies temporary mental paralysis caused by astonishment or profound abasement.
the tragic news confounded us all
When might bewilder be a better fit than confound?
In some situations, the words bewilder and confound are roughly equivalent. However, bewilder stresses a confusion of mind that hampers clear and decisive thinking.
a bewildering number of possibilities
Where would distract be a reasonable alternative to confound?
While the synonyms distract and confound are close in meaning, distract implies agitation or uncertainty induced by conflicting preoccupations or interests.
distracted by personal problems
When can dumbfound be used instead of confound?
The words dumbfound and confound are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, dumbfound suggests intense but momentary confounding; often the idea of astonishment is so stressed that it becomes a near synonym of astound.
was at first too dumbfounded to reply
When could nonplus be used to replace confound?
The synonyms nonplus and confound are sometimes interchangeable, but nonplus implies a bafflement that makes orderly planning or deciding impossible.
the remark left us utterly nonplussed
In what contexts can perplex take the place of confound?
The meanings of perplex and confound largely overlap; however, perplex adds a suggestion of worry and uncertainty especially about making a necessary decision.
a behavior that perplexed her friends
When would puzzle be a good substitute for confound?
The words puzzle and confound can be used in similar contexts, but puzzle implies existence of a problem difficult to solve.
the persistent fever puzzled the doctor
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Time Traveler for confound
The first known use of confound was in the 14th century
See more words from the same century