confused 1 of 2

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confused

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verb

past tense of confuse
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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

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of confused
Adjective
The election skepticism standard has left the superintendent of a roughly 2,000-student district north of Tulsa confused. Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 22 Oct. 2025 Additionally, Owens’ youngest child, Titus, who was just a toddler when his mother died, was confused, irritable and inconsolable in the weeks after her death, Dias shared. Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
Verb
Dacus appeared visibly confused by Monáe casually dropping some time-traveling lore. Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Oct. 2025 Childs was confused about the nature of their relationship — and why Zelocchi had the laptop in the first place. Jesse Hyde, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for confused
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confused
Adjective
  • The podcast episode premiered amid Angelia Solomon's ongoing court battle more than a decade after her and Aaron Solomon's bitter and messy divorce in 2013.
    Katie Nixon, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Moisten the disposable sheets with water and a gentle cleaning agent like Dawn dish soap, then use the DIY wet wipes to clean countertops or messy faces.
    Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The scene where ‘80s teen Marty McFly borrows a scooter from a bewildered ‘50s kid and breaks off the handles to make a skateboard is one of the film’s most iconic moments.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Small wonder the performers emerged bewildered.
    Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Actors’ Equity membership puzzled me.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Investigators say they are puzzled why the culprits left behind the colossal, 140-carat Regent diamond, which has been valued at $60 million.
    Alexander Smith, NBC news, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Save as a collection on MyRecipes Who says cooking has to be complicated to be delicious?
    Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Oct. 2025
  • What promises to be a perfect week is complicated when Sabrina meets Ian Turner (Sherwood), a handsome British visitor, at the hotel bar.
    Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The woman mistook him for an Uber driver and got in his car, according to deputies.
    Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Though not much is known about their relationship, the famed Sex and the City actress had played into a funny moment when 60 Minutes mistook her for Justin's mother, Margaret, in a retrospective.
    Diane J. Cho, PEOPLE, 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 reality is that all premium creative models in the moving-image space are being disrupted by low-cost ones, powered by AI, free platforms, and new forms of piracy.
    Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Hurricane Melissa is expected to weaken over Jamaica as its inner core is disrupted by the mountainous terrain.
    Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Add to this Senne Lammens, who has brought calm to a previously chaotic goalkeeping situation, and INEOS’ bold approach to the summer window is starting to pay off.
    Carl Anka, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
  • New York City officials condemn federal immigration raid A chaotic immigration raid in New York City on Tuesday reflected the US government’s widening deportation campaign, drawing outrage from local officials and residents.
    Ben Smith, semafor.com, 24 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Confused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confused. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

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