1
as in perplexes
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
the similar-sounding words "censure" and "censor" often confuse people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in complicates
to make (something) unclear to the understanding
stop confusing the issue with irrelevant facts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in mistakes
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 embarrasses
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 disrupts
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 confuses
The low-performing chefs are Rhoda, whose lamb confuses the kids; Sherry, whose grits were oddly flavored; and Oscar, whose puff pastry soaked up all the deep-fryer oil.
—
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
Learn about Outside Online's affiliate link policy Go somewhere that confuses your algorithm.
—Kevin Sintumuang, Outside, 10 Mar. 2026
An actress in 1962 Cuban, as its missiles crisis rages, confuses her role in a film and real life.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 9 Mar. 2026
Seeking safety Above-target inflation and a sluggish labor market also confuses the picture for investors.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2026
If the concept confuses, check out their podcast.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 21 Feb. 2026
No one confuses kilowatt-hours with productivity, yet no serious economy flies blind without tracking them.
—Noosheen Hashemi, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
Where the Roma obscured the line between a classic grand tourer and a sports car with supercar tendencies, the Amalfi confuses things further.
—Jonny Lieberman, Robb Report, 17 Jan. 2026
In professional sports, no one confuses being injury-free with being competition-ready.
—Karl Moore, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
Learn about Outside Online's affiliate link policy Go somewhere that confuses your algorithm.
—Kevin Sintumuang, Outside, 10 Mar. 2026
An actress in 1962 Cuban, as its missiles crisis rages, confuses her role in a film and real life.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 9 Mar. 2026
Seeking safety Above-target inflation and a sluggish labor market also confuses the picture for investors.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2026
If the concept confuses, check out their podcast.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 21 Feb. 2026
No one confuses kilowatt-hours with productivity, yet no serious economy flies blind without tracking them.
—Noosheen Hashemi, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
Where the Roma obscured the line between a classic grand tourer and a sports car with supercar tendencies, the Amalfi confuses things further.
—Jonny Lieberman, Robb Report, 17 Jan. 2026
In professional sports, no one confuses being injury-free with being competition-ready.
—Karl Moore, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confuses
Verb
-
But the unknown in that equation is what perplexes the Mavericks and has the team stuck for now.—
Tim Cowlishaw,
Dallas Morning News,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
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That complicates the fantasy that classic stoner movies once relied on.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
20 Apr. 2026
-
That reality complicates the industry’s fixation on recycling, particularly the push toward closed-loop systems that promise to turn old garments into new ones.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Seasonal allergies happen when the immune system mistakes something harmless in the environment, such as pollen, as a danger, setting off reactions and symptoms that can turn spring from a gift into an ordeal.—
Matt Fuchs,
Scientific American,
15 Apr. 2026
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In another scene, Peet’s character is asked for an autograph by a young woman who mistakes her for the actor Lake Bell.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Now the technology embarrasses an umpire even more than a player could, and what’s the recourse?—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
-
But the stunt goes south as Wooley turns out to be an unabashed bigot who embarrasses the show and gets scolded by the host.—
Erik Pedersen,
Deadline,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Crude oil also disrupts animals’ nervous systems, Grosell added, impairing their senses and ability to navigate, process input, and properly orient themselves in their environment.—
Asuka Koda,
CNN Money,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Cornstarch disrupts the scent trails ants use to navigate.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Nandi is experiencing severe insomnia, tremors and psychosis, and her quickly deteriorating condition bewilders the emergency room staff.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
21 Oct. 2025
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The designs were puckish and gender-bending, evoking both awe and repulsion—the sort of clothing that titillates lovers of conceptual fashion and bewilders the uninitiated.—
Ana Karina Zatarain,
New Yorker,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The move further blurs the line between the traditional financial industry and the growing world of crypto assets and digital finance.—
Tanaya Macheel,
CNBC,
16 Apr. 2026
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As Nick and Jacki’s conversations deepen, the line between witness and participant blurs, forcing both to confront what justice demands, what belief requires, and the perilous distance between true freedom and the illusion of self determination.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This entire season has dissected the way that modern society conflates existential and economic purpose.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
2 Mar. 2026
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Given that women in other countries do wear lipstick as an act of resistance today, suggesting that American feminists did so in 1912 conflates their wildly different cultural contexts, and blurs one’s sense of what constitutes public dissidence.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Confuses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confuses. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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