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
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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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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in perplexing
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Recent Examples of confounding
Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024
Though none of that even scratches the surface of all the Jets’ confounding mental errors on Sunday.
—Zack Rosenblatt, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024
Are your former lovers dying in increasingly mysterious and confounding ways?
—Matt Minton, Variety, 20 Dec. 2024
Morris probed top executives for months about the rumor’s origins and received a confounding mix of finger-pointing and memory lapses, as detailed in a 1,100-page investigative case file reviewed by The Times.
—Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
All the while, his body betrays him in novel and confounding ways.
—Longreads, 18 Dec. 2024
In the 15 years since, mysteries have continued to surround their deaths — as has speculation about their former home's possible role in the confounding story, from reports of otherworldly encounters to rumors that something else within the house may have played a part.
—Mackenzie Schmidt, People.com, 15 Dec. 2024
Mysterious drones have been showing up in the skies above New Jersey and other states for weeks, confounding residents and prompting lawmakers to call for more answers as to what exactly is going on.
—Rebecca Cohen, NBC News, 14 Dec. 2024
Also confounding—especially given the three-screen display split between TVs hanging from the ceiling in an arrangement that evokes a sort of ghostly sports bar.
—Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
Brunson and Towns are confounding opposing defenses in two-man action, and this starting lineup can comfortably go five out to lengthen and distort the floor.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024
Though none of that even scratches the surface of all the Jets’ confounding mental errors on Sunday.
—Zack Rosenblatt, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024
Are your former lovers dying in increasingly mysterious and confounding ways?
—Matt Minton, Variety, 20 Dec. 2024
Morris probed top executives for months about the rumor’s origins and received a confounding mix of finger-pointing and memory lapses, as detailed in a 1,100-page investigative case file reviewed by The Times.
—Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
All the while, his body betrays him in novel and confounding ways.
—Longreads, 18 Dec. 2024
In the 15 years since, mysteries have continued to surround their deaths — as has speculation about their former home's possible role in the confounding story, from reports of otherworldly encounters to rumors that something else within the house may have played a part.
—Mackenzie Schmidt, People.com, 15 Dec. 2024
Mysterious drones have been showing up in the skies above New Jersey and other states for weeks, confounding residents and prompting lawmakers to call for more answers as to what exactly is going on.
—Rebecca Cohen, NBC News, 14 Dec. 2024
Also confounding—especially given the three-screen display split between TVs hanging from the ceiling in an arrangement that evokes a sort of ghostly sports bar.
—Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 13 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confounding
Verb
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Hall ended up refuting his own hypothesis.—
Dhruv Khullar,
The New Yorker,
6 Jan. 2025
-
Two people aim to jointly and with intensity deliberate with each other, testing each other, refuting each other at times, and otherwise pursuing an in-depth cross-examining dialogue.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
4 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The growing complexity of the guidelines is all the more perplexing because the government’s overarching advice on how to eat healthier hasn’t changed that much over the past 35 years.—
Nicholas Florko,
The Atlantic,
23 June 2025
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Forecasters point to perplexing planetary phenomenon.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
22 June 2025
Verb
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Researchers are particularly focused on unraveling the puzzling interplay between gas content, magma pressure and lava flow dynamics.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
3 Jan. 2025
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Almost two years into his ordeal, Gould learned of an initiative at the National Institutes of Health that focuses on solving the country’s most puzzling medical cases.—
Jason Liebowitz,
The Atlantic,
2 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Today big tech is aggressively challenging long-standing legal protections in copyright law, in intellectual property, fair data practices and data privacy protections.—
Hessie Jones,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
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The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265, which went on an historic two-and-a-half week strike in March after negotiations for a new contract broke down, had filed a petition with the Sixth District Court of Appeal on April 1, challenging the ruling of the Santa Clara County Superior Court.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The claim that chess is a form of gambling was baffling, according to every chess player NPR spoke to, including Herat resident Jarallah Badghisi.—
Diaa Hadid,
NPR,
17 June 2025
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Some baffling decisions were made that fundamentally alter not only her characterization and arc, but the very nature of the story itself.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
Verb
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The young actor has a disconcerting awareness of the roiling potential of his changing body.—
Doreen St. Félix,
The New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2025
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Even without Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota’s size remains disconcerting to the Nuggets, especially when Aaron Gordon is out.—
Bennett Durando,
The Denver Post,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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What’s more frustrating is that neither of the bracket’s two best overall performers will be proceeding on to the semifinals, and in hindsight, one of them — Acid Betty — really wasn’t given a chance.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
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The most frustrating character on The Bear continues to be Claire (Molly Gordon), whose on-screen role in Season 3 was limited, but whose importance even as an unseen force has grown and grown.—
Linda Holmes,
NPR,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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This book is his opus, one bewildering, confusing, meandering, and disorienting episodic tale after another involving reporters, runways, and casinos, back when Vegas was gloriously trashy.—
Brian Boone,
Vulture,
18 June 2025
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The judge’s tone is one of bewilderment because these circumstances are indeed bewildering, and no doubt would be to the Founding Fathers who expressly rejected monarchy and established a system of government where the citizenry would be free to express its discontent at government policies.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
15 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Confounding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confounding. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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