1
as in confuses
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in embarrasses
to throw into a state of self-conscious distress
his renewed popularity has confounded the critics who said his singing career was dead
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in conflates
to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related
I think you've confounded astrology with astronomy
Synonyms & Similar Words
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4
as in refutes
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 confounds
The technology has advanced so quickly, in fact, that its end result — untraceable weapons, assembled from spare parts and plastic frames — often confounds existing laws and presents a unique enforcement problem for authorities.
—
Jack Crosbie,
Rolling Stone,
17 June 2026
The dollar’s resilience confounds many investors.
—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Keywords and concepts are linked to objects and ephemera, which are tagged and cross-referenced in a dense network that both thrills and confounds.
—
Katherine Rochester,
Artforum,
1 Apr. 2026
Then the brutal murder of a young woman ― the latest in a string of deaths across the coast ― confounds police.
—
Ashlee Conour,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Onto center stage steps a figure who confounds expectations.
—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
1 Jan. 2026
Since their vision is not pixel-precise, using web interfaces—which are dynamic, designed for humans, and often include captchas and other anti-bot measures—confounds them.
—
Tharin Pillay,
Time,
4 Nov. 2025
Again, all of this confounds traditional attempts at sense making.
—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
4 Sep. 2025
Jack Crosbie,
Rolling Stone,
17 June 2026
The dollar’s resilience confounds many investors.
—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Keywords and concepts are linked to objects and ephemera, which are tagged and cross-referenced in a dense network that both thrills and confounds.
—
Katherine Rochester,
Artforum,
1 Apr. 2026
Then the brutal murder of a young woman ― the latest in a string of deaths across the coast ― confounds police.
—
Ashlee Conour,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Onto center stage steps a figure who confounds expectations.
—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
1 Jan. 2026
Since their vision is not pixel-precise, using web interfaces—which are dynamic, designed for humans, and often include captchas and other anti-bot measures—confounds them.
—
Tharin Pillay,
Time,
4 Nov. 2025
Again, all of this confounds traditional attempts at sense making.
—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confounds
Verb
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But nobody confuses Harvard Extension School classes with the real thing.
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If a neighbor or sibling confuses the thread, summarize and invite a decision.
Verb
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Graft inquiry embarrasses Zelensky Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office said in a Telegram announcement that the investigation into Yermak is ongoing.
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Now the technology embarrasses an umpire even more than a player could, and what’s the recourse?
Verb
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There is extensive evidence — including Slack and WhatsApp messages, company documents, and witness testimony — that unequivocally refutes her claims.
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The woman vehemently refutes those claims to ABC News, and claims Aaron knew about her personal history, including marital status.
Verb
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But the unknown in that equation is what perplexes the Mavericks and has the team stuck for now.
Verb
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Nothing flusters her except dogs barking, and as the story unfolds the reason is easily surmised.
Verb
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Here is the four-page temporary injunction order from Lubbock County district court judge Ken Curry that essentially overturns the NCAA's decision and grants Brendan Sorsby eligiblity for the 2026 college football season.
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Democrats asked whether that includes federal court orders, and Mullin responded that depends on whether a higher court overturns a ruling.
Verb
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For three years straight, he’s kept up a pace that bewilders the industry’s leading comics.
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The narrator and his wife find that their attachment to the charismatic and cryptic Chibi grows with the cat’s increasing visits, in a way that bewilders them but somehow bonds them closer together.
Verb
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Oh, and more often than not, nobody bothers to check whether the change intervention actually worked, or whether leaders improve their performance after all!
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The government no longer even bothers to disguise itself as a democracy.
Cite this Entry
“Confounds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confounds. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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