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
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 confuses
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
So everyone confuses literal with figurative; literally, who cares?
—Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 16 Jan. 2026
In professional sports, no one confuses being injury-free with being competition-ready.
—Karl Moore, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Red Rising is a book that seems to confuses some politically right-leaning readers, something which frustrates but doesn’t surprise Abughazaleh.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 19 Dec. 2025
Mars’ clash with Neptune clouds your judgment and confuses your intuition.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 14 Dec. 2025
Thankfully, this maneuver confuses the Demo long enough for Ted to walk into the house after noticing flickering lights.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 27 Nov. 2025
On Monday, 30 autism and disability organizations said linking autism and vaccines confuses parents.
—Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 25 Nov. 2025
The Longhorns’ roster build confuses me.
—The Athletic College Basketball Staff, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
Jonny Lieberman, Robb Report, 17 Jan. 2026
So everyone confuses literal with figurative; literally, who cares?
—Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 16 Jan. 2026
In professional sports, no one confuses being injury-free with being competition-ready.
—Karl Moore, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Red Rising is a book that seems to confuses some politically right-leaning readers, something which frustrates but doesn’t surprise Abughazaleh.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 19 Dec. 2025
Mars’ clash with Neptune clouds your judgment and confuses your intuition.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 14 Dec. 2025
Thankfully, this maneuver confuses the Demo long enough for Ted to walk into the house after noticing flickering lights.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 27 Nov. 2025
On Monday, 30 autism and disability organizations said linking autism and vaccines confuses parents.
—Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 25 Nov. 2025
The Longhorns’ roster build confuses me.
—The Athletic College Basketball Staff, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
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
-
Some assistance comes from sportsbooks and casinos themselves, though this complicates certain priorities.—
Jasper Craven,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Whether that expertise strengthens or complicates monetary policy will depend less on his market savvy than on his ability to preserve the Fed’s institutional discipline and independence at a time of heightened scrutiny.—
Garth Friesen,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
For someone who mistakes dependency as weakness, relying on someone can signal a loss of autonomy.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The stage is thus set for an Eddington-style standoff, as Hegseth arrives in South Park and immediately mistakes the race for an Antifa uprising.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
27 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Maia and her boyfriend Dylan (Josh Hustcherson) are on the outs after Maia completely embarrasses herself at Dylan’s game night with his co-workers.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
21 Dec. 2025
-
There, the father of the bride gets too drunk and embarrasses himself.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
On the other hand, chronic sleep deprivation impairs attention, disrupts decision-making and alters the hormones that regulate appetite and metabolism.—
Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse,
The Conversation,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Depriving children and young adults of social contact, structure, and meaningful engagement disrupts emotional regulation, impulse control, and decision-making, causing harm that can follow them long after release.—
Gladys Carrión,
New York Daily News,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
In her directorial feature debut, which blurs the boundaries between documentary and fiction, Nolitha Refilwe Mkulisi looks to revive the energy of beloved 1990s South African musical game show, Jam Alley, to take a very different look at her hometown, the village of Tapoleng.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Jan. 2026
-
The result is a constant state of urgency that blurs priorities and drains energy across the team.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Tate’s commentary instead conflates population-level decline (NAEP) with performance among a selective, higher-achieving subset of students (SAT/ACT), and then treats this mismatch as evidence of test manipulation.—
Ryan Craig,
Forbes.com,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Critics say that definition conflates criticism of the Israeli government with antisemitism.—
Chris Sommerfeldt,
New York Daily News,
2 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Confuses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confuses. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
