1
as in baffling
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 complicating
to make (something) unclear to the understanding
stop confusing the issue with irrelevant facts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in mistaking
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 embarrassing
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 disrupting
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
vandals had hopelessly confused the papers in the office files
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in difficult
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in perplexing
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of confusing
Alan Light, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
Annie and Nick Annie and Nick's path to getting engaged was winding and confusing.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025
Financial aid letters are notoriously confusing.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 30 Sep. 2025
Aldo has found the immigration system capricious and confusing.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
These circumstances make the process difficult and confusing for those who want to fight deportation without the benefit of having an attorney.
—Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 29 Sep. 2025
The poster agreed with the sentiment, saying that to her, her mom’s reaction feels confusing and misplaced.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
The agency said the company relied on confusing interfaces and obscure disclosures.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2025
Despite loving the brand, the process felt like an afterthought—confusing policy language, multiple touchpoints and no proactive communication.
—Sarah Jones, Sourcing Journal, 25 Sep. 2025
Brian Sloan, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
The merger will divide Elon, confusing prospective and current students.
—Saleen Martin, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
The tech hiring landscape in the United States is confusing these days.
—IEEE Spectrum, 2 Oct. 2025
Pros & Cons With the reveal of the AMD Ryzen Z2 processor back at CES 2025, AMD promised a revolution in PC gaming handhelds, but this market is nothing if not confusing.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 2 Oct. 2025
The weather played its part, too, confusing the fashion crowd with downpours one moment, and warm sun popping up again the next.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025
At one point at the state banquet, the president was seen confusing Camilla and Kate.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 25 Sep. 2025
Advertisement The recent announcement only compounds the harm, confusing parents and diverting attention and resources from questions that could actually bring answers.
—Dr. Craig Spencer, Time, 23 Sep. 2025
One member also said the voting language wasn’t clear and could lead to confusing guidance.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
Most intriguing is how these groups will be submitted among the rock, metal and alternative categories, distinctions that only get more confusing as time marches on.
—Alan Light, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
Annie and Nick Annie and Nick's path to getting engaged was winding and confusing.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025
Financial aid letters are notoriously confusing.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 30 Sep. 2025
Aldo has found the immigration system capricious and confusing.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
These circumstances make the process difficult and confusing for those who want to fight deportation without the benefit of having an attorney.
—Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 29 Sep. 2025
The poster agreed with the sentiment, saying that to her, her mom’s reaction feels confusing and misplaced.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
The agency said the company relied on confusing interfaces and obscure disclosures.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2025
Despite loving the brand, the process felt like an afterthought—confusing policy language, multiple touchpoints and no proactive communication.
—Sarah Jones, Sourcing Journal, 25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
CarShield has received positive comments for its breadth of coverage and quick response times, although some policyholders have complained about claim denials, fine-print surprises and confusing sales practices.
—Brian Sloan, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
The merger will divide Elon, confusing prospective and current students.
—Saleen Martin, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
The tech hiring landscape in the United States is confusing these days.
—IEEE Spectrum, 2 Oct. 2025
Pros & Cons With the reveal of the AMD Ryzen Z2 processor back at CES 2025, AMD promised a revolution in PC gaming handhelds, but this market is nothing if not confusing.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 2 Oct. 2025
The weather played its part, too, confusing the fashion crowd with downpours one moment, and warm sun popping up again the next.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025
At one point at the state banquet, the president was seen confusing Camilla and Kate.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 25 Sep. 2025
Advertisement The recent announcement only compounds the harm, confusing parents and diverting attention and resources from questions that could actually bring answers.
—Dr. Craig Spencer, Time, 23 Sep. 2025
One member also said the voting language wasn’t clear and could lead to confusing guidance.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confusing
Verb
-
In May, Kennedy vowed to find what caused autism by September, baffling scientists who near-unanimously believe there is no one cause of the condition.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
22 Sep. 2025
-
This is stuttering, crashing and other issues, even on high-end hardware way above recommended specs, which is baffling some.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The shutdown could also delay the release of key economic data, further complicating policymakers’ decision making.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Also complicating the groundwork was the discovery of Native American artifacts on the property, Corn said.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Her father had bought it at the county fair; the vender, mistaking it for yet another replica Native ceremonial mask, had all but given it away.—
David Wright Faladé,
New Yorker,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Hough also noted that he was distracted by the It's Complicated star's presence in the audience, persistently mistaking the actor for his own father.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
That behavior is embarrassing anywhere, and goes against all of golf etiquette.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
30 Sep. 2025
-
That wasn't Carey's first time embarrassing her children.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Ride-hailing giants Uber and Bolt are disrupting Kenya’s lucrative safari market with new services that are driving fears of price cuts among traditional tour operators.—
Martin K.N Siele,
semafor.com,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Cuban founded Cost Plus Drugs, a similar direct-to-consumer (DTC) platform, in 2022 with the goal of disrupting the health care industry.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
For once, the bulk of the anger was directed not at Fosun — the investment group and majority shareholder – and the Molineux hierarchy who have conspired to deal Pereira a difficult hand, but at the head coach himself and his players.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Romancelandia’s social world, harnessed by its business-minded authors, may make its success exceedingly difficult to replicate.—
Rebecca Ackermann,
The Atlantic,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The phenomenon is called seasonal asynchrony, and a new study finds these perplexing locations appear in tropical mountains of countries like Costa Rica as well as places like California that have Mediterranean climates.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
22 Sep. 2025
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The Quiz In one of the more perplexing acquisitions this year, early 2000s music sharing platform LimeWire acquired the rights to the infamous Fyre Festival in an auction this week.—
Maggie McGrath,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
And aren’t our real-life romantic complications bewildering enough?—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Its ginormous investments in higher-value, tech-heavy sectors from smartphones to autos to semiconductors to biotechnology are disrupting the global landscape at bewildering speed.—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Confusing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confusing. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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