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
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
After its emergency stop in Huntingdon, a market town around 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of London, bloodied and confused passengers spilled out of the train.
—NPR, 2 Nov. 2025
Diane Brady, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
And got confused, Rowan remembered.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for confused
Adjective
Marty works his connections to learn that Frank won’t be charged for Arthur’s murder — the official verdict is that accidents happen when confused old men own guns.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
After its emergency stop in Huntingdon, a market town around 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of London, bloodied and confused passengers spilled out of the train.
—NPR, 2 Nov. 2025
Verb
Customers were confused over SNAP benefits that remain in limbo amid the government shutdown, the teller explained.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
And got confused, Rowan remembered.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for confused
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confused
Adjective
-
But a big, beautiful, and sometimes messy public square that belongs to us all.—
Yolanda Watson Spiva,
Fortune,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The best heroes are beloved because their choices — admirable, messy, or otherwise — are hard ones made in service of something greater.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Snook and Lacy, who display such sharp instincts in their best work, seem to have been directed to overact; cameras freeze on their exaggeratedly bewildered or angry or devastated expressions, putting exclamation points at the end of too many scenes.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Instead, a bewildered stranger answers the door.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Although puzzled, Aisha answered honestly.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Like his wife, Moore was puzzled when their friend didn’t show up to eat dinner.—
Julian Roberts-Grmela,
New York Daily News,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Nonetheless, the book has complicated historians' efforts to understand the truth of what really happened during this pivotal moment in the history of science.—
Nell Greenfieldboyce,
NPR,
7 Nov. 2025
-
This has given the conflict a religious coloration, and political elites have also chosen to politicize the conflict to negotiate power and other interests, which has complicated the problem.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Police drew guns on a student outside a Baltimore County high school after an artificial intelligence system mistook his snack for a firearm.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
-
The woman mistook him for an Uber driver and got in his car, according to deputies.—
Julia Marnin,
Miami Herald,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
French authorities have arrested several suspects after a frantic manhunt for the men who staged a spectacular daytime heist at the Louvre museum that gripped the world and embarrassed the government in Paris.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
26 Oct. 2025
-
The Revolution provided a brief scare through a 59th-minute goal from Dor Turgeman, who embarrassed a defender before curling home a spectacular effort, but Inter Miami broke the tie almost immediately after the strike that made the score 2-1.—
Franco Panizo,
Miami Herald,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Lakers disrupted alley-oop attempts to Castle and Luke Kornet in the opening minutes.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
During a three-game losing streak that began with a loss to Arkansas State, Arkansas has been turnover prone and seen its dribble-drive offense disrupted.—
Ethan Westerman,
Arkansas Online,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Paul’s chaotic yet candid nature quickly uplifted her to reality TV icon status, so much so that ABC named her their next star of The Bachelorette.—
McKinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Dispatch recordings from firefighters who were first on the scene at Miami Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra’s home early Thursday reveal a chaotic and fast-moving fire that left crews scrambling to find water and to contain the spreading flames.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Confused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confused. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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