1
as in messy
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness
the cans were lying in a confused jumble in the basement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bewildered
suffering from mental confusion
she was briefly confused after her fall from the horse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in puzzled
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
the similar-sounding words "censure" and "censor" often confuse people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in complicated
to make (something) unclear to the understanding
stop confusing the issue with irrelevant facts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in mistook
to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related
a lot of people confuse popular fame with enduring achievement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in embarrassed
to throw into a state of self-conscious distress
she was confused by the shocking bluntness of his marriage proposal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in disrupted
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
vandals had hopelessly confused the papers in the office files
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of confused
Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 29 Apr. 2026
In the days and hours before his death, Tracey had passed out and appeared confused, according to a police report from the county sheriff’s office, which investigated the death.
—Nichole Manna, ProPublica, 28 Apr. 2026
Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Valve’s upcoming Steam Controller (not to be confused with the 2015 controller of the same name) is the Steam maker’s effort to replace those controllers with something more explicitly designed for the PC, and for the upcoming Steam Machine.
—ArsTechnica, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for confused
Adjective
Tourists approached, one by one, then spun around confused and disappointed.
—Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 29 Apr. 2026
In the days and hours before his death, Tracey had passed out and appeared confused, according to a police report from the county sheriff’s office, which investigated the death.
—Nichole Manna, ProPublica, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
Secondly, true dandelions shouldn’t be confused with lookalikes like cat’s ear (false dandelion), sow thistle, coltsfoot and autumn hawkbit.
—Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Valve’s upcoming Steam Controller (not to be confused with the 2015 controller of the same name) is the Steam maker’s effort to replace those controllers with something more explicitly designed for the PC, and for the upcoming Steam Machine.
—ArsTechnica, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for confused
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confused
Adjective
-
Everything was hot, simple and a little messy in the best way.—
Melissa Oyler,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Shared spaces were left messy, personal belongings spread throughout the house, decor rearranged and boundaries ignored.—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Everyone was so relieved to see how bewildered everyone else was that the feeling in this place was almost festive.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Numerous cryptocurrency novices become bewildered by intricate decals and fluctuating percentages.—
Malana VanTyler,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As Kate headed for her car, Emily just stood there, looking puzzled.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
-
However, when hunting for the best thyme varieties to grow in your kitchen garden, you might be puzzled by their diverse names.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Spirit had hoped to morph into a smaller operation this summer, but those plans were complicated as jet fuel prices spiked.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
3 May 2026
-
The administration has signaled that proposals from Tehran have gotten incrementally better as the negotiations have dragged on, but that disorganization of leadership has complicated the process.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
About 90 minutes after the lockdown took effect, the Naval Academy’s deputy commandant emailed students, telling them that as law enforcement worked to secure the school, a midshipman mistook police for a threat and engaged them, according to the official.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Curtain calls In 1999, a male hippo in rut apparently mistook a passing tractor at a French zoo for a rival and smashed through his enclosure fencing.—
Scott Lafee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That this series has flipped on its head seemed almost impossible last Sunday, when the Celtics embarrassed Philadelphia in a Game 4 win on the Sixers’ home floor.—
Tobias Bass,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
-
The Mets were embarrassed by the Washington Nationals in an 14-2 blowout to even up the series at one game apiece.—
James O'Connell,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The United Nations Development Programme reports that higher energy prices, disrupted food systems, and economic slowdowns triggered by the war could push up to thirty-two million people globally into poverty.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
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Disasters threaten treatment The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration works with states to ensure that access to opioid use disorder medication isn't disrupted, Health and Human Services spokesperson Emily Hilliard said.—
Andrew Jones,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The chaotic family life was cited when Cary Stayner pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the tourists’ murders; he was found mentally fit to stand trial.—
Bay Area News Group,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
-
The start turned chaotic in seconds when Verstappen, who along with Leclerc almost immediately passed Antonelli, proceeded to completely pirouette, recovering but quickly finding himself in ninth.—
Viju Mathew,
Robb Report,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Confused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confused. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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