as in perplexing
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1
as in baffling
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
we were confounded by the player's remote control, which wasn't at all user-friendly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in embarrassing
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 confusing
to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related
I think you've confounded astrology with astronomy
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4
as in refuting
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 confounding
Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 5 Feb. 2026
The Eagles were a confounding defending champion throughout the regular season.
—Jeff Howe, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Tuesday will go down as one of Boston’s most confounding losses of the season, a 4-3 defeat in 11 innings to the Baltimore Orioles in which the club went 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 22 Aug. 2025
ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
Formal dress codes can be confounding—but of course, Bessette-Kennedy found an outfit that works for black-tie ceremonies and cocktail celebrations alike.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 27 Feb. 2026
The trailer 3-point attempt in Philadelphia was Towns’ first in more than two weeks, a symbol of both what can be so enticing and also so confounding about the Knicks.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
Ahead, revisit some of the most memorable (and confounding) ‘90s snacks and 2000s snacks.
—Kara Nesvig, Parents, 24 Feb. 2026
To ensure the accuracy of their findings, the team applied rigorous statistical adjustments for diverse confounding variables, including median household income, racial composition, educational attainment, lifestyle factors such as smoking and BMI, and access to healthcare facilities.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 23 Feb. 2026
This is both utterly confounding and sublimely beautiful.
—Jason Sheeler, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
The new findings are confounding scientists’ expectations, raising questions about how exactly molecules can encounter their reactive partners in a teeming, crowded space — and therefore how cells can possibly function.
—Quanta Magazine, 18 Feb. 2026
All of this makes Unspeakable Things a particular type of #MeToo memoir, one in which the accuser implicates herself—not as complicit in any assault or harassment, but as fully human, and sometimes confounding even to herself.
—Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
In 2021, one year into D’Amaro’s tenure and following COVID shutdowns, Disney did away with FastPass and introduced a confounding and very costly series of pay-to-skip passes, which require timing advanced booking of limited slots in these formerly free-to-enter shorter lines.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 5 Feb. 2026
The Eagles were a confounding defending champion throughout the regular season.
—Jeff Howe, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Tuesday will go down as one of Boston’s most confounding losses of the season, a 4-3 defeat in 11 innings to the Baltimore Orioles in which the club went 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
Families whose main assets are their homes have grown cautious about spending, weakening consumer demand and confounding longstanding efforts to shift the economy to greater reliance on domestic investment.
—ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
Formal dress codes can be confounding—but of course, Bessette-Kennedy found an outfit that works for black-tie ceremonies and cocktail celebrations alike.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 27 Feb. 2026
The trailer 3-point attempt in Philadelphia was Towns’ first in more than two weeks, a symbol of both what can be so enticing and also so confounding about the Knicks.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
Ahead, revisit some of the most memorable (and confounding) ‘90s snacks and 2000s snacks.
—Kara Nesvig, Parents, 24 Feb. 2026
To ensure the accuracy of their findings, the team applied rigorous statistical adjustments for diverse confounding variables, including median household income, racial composition, educational attainment, lifestyle factors such as smoking and BMI, and access to healthcare facilities.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 23 Feb. 2026
This is both utterly confounding and sublimely beautiful.
—Jason Sheeler, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
The new findings are confounding scientists’ expectations, raising questions about how exactly molecules can encounter their reactive partners in a teeming, crowded space — and therefore how cells can possibly function.
—Quanta Magazine, 18 Feb. 2026
All of this makes Unspeakable Things a particular type of #MeToo memoir, one in which the accuser implicates herself—not as complicit in any assault or harassment, but as fully human, and sometimes confounding even to herself.
—Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confounding
Adjective
-
Mamdani’s revenue estimates look realistic rather than usefully bleak; notwithstanding his perplexing series of revisions, the gap appears to be real.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The craze is perplexing to parents, but Bennett said the Hornets have embraced it to bring joy to young people.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Georgia basketball’s matchup with Tennessee ended in baffling fashion Wednesday night.—
Olivia Sayer,
AJC.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The pilot of a private jet reportedly made an eerie discovery while flying thousands of feet over Rhode Island, marking the latest in unexplained encounters baffling both experts and civilians alike.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
22 Dec. 2025
Verb
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These are embarrassing own goals that Republicans simply can’t afford.—
S.E. Cupp,
New York Daily News,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Fairchild played the free-wheeling bon vivant Nora Tyler Bing on five episodes of the sitcom classic, unwittingly embarrassing Perry's Chandler Bing to the delight of his pals.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But the notice sent last spring was so vague and confusing that few people used it to object.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The company’s messaging has been confusing and has at various points seemed to contradict its own previous statements, as well as information from the government.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But the company is refuting the claims.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
-
But Kennedy was equally as defiant and doubled down on his stance, strongly refuting the allegations directed towards him.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
With a bit of creativity and intention, even the most puzzling spots can become purposeful design moments.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
5 Mar. 2026
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While stock markets have shifted firmly into risk-off mode, the bond market has had a puzzling reaction to some.—
Sean Conlon,Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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McNutt housed some 700 kids — about one-third of the population of French Lick — and Bird found the campus outside the dormitory walls bewildering.—
Keith O'Brien,
Rolling Stone,
22 Feb. 2026
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Even a principled, well-meaning actor like Claude could face bewildering ethical conflicts.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The news is disconcerting for nearby residents like Moody.—
Olivia Young,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
-
As the Alabama Crimson Tide prepare for the rival Auburn Tigers ahead of Saturday’s Iron Bowl, the team received a bit of disconcerting news.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Confounding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confounding. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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