1
as in difficult
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
2
as in perplexing
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of confusing
Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 5 Mar. 2026
For people who deal with a parent with addiction issues, that can be really confusing and painful.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 4 Mar. 2026
The term itself is confusing—peptides are technically short chains of amino acids, after all, and that can be used to describe a lot of things, including skincare ingredients.
—Korin Miller, SELF, 3 Mar. 2026
And from the outside, this display of emotion might seem confusing, or easy to dismiss as a performance.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
Trump’s executive order and the rescheduling of cannabis may further confound an already confusing landscape for pregnant people who are unsure about their legal rights.
—Lauren Micalizzi, STAT, 2 Mar. 2026
Pokeweed, which is also known as poke root and pokeberry, is a confusing plant.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2026
In practice, many taxpayers find the form confusing and difficult to complete.
—Sakinah Tillman, Baltimore Sun, 28 Feb. 2026
At the same time, the chaotic and confusing state of play has made companies and investors reluctant to make big capital investments.
—Justin Worland, Time, 28 Feb. 2026
U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026
The company’s messaging has been confusing and has at various points seemed to contradict its own previous statements, as well as information from the government.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2026
The smell masks the insects’ chemical signals, confusing the aphids and affecting their ability to find food.
—Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 7 Mar. 2026
To date, the only explanations offered by the Administration have been confusing more than anything else.
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2026
According to the United Nations, greenwashing includes misleading claims that exaggerate or fabricate environmental benefits, slowing real progress and confusing consumers.
—Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
The United Nations defines greenwashing as misleading claims that exaggerate or fabricate environmental benefits, slowing real progress and confusing consumers.
—Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2026
Williams says the same approach can help caregivers respond more compassionately when someone with dementia expresses a mistaken belief, confusing idea, or hallucination.
—Brian Unger, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
The error lies in confusing intelligence with judgment and speed with wisdom.
—Big Think, 2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Things got even more confusing when make-up artist Alexis Stone posted a picture of a prosthetic on Instagram alongside photos of Carrey at the awards show.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 5 Mar. 2026
For people who deal with a parent with addiction issues, that can be really confusing and painful.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 4 Mar. 2026
The term itself is confusing—peptides are technically short chains of amino acids, after all, and that can be used to describe a lot of things, including skincare ingredients.
—Korin Miller, SELF, 3 Mar. 2026
And from the outside, this display of emotion might seem confusing, or easy to dismiss as a performance.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
Trump’s executive order and the rescheduling of cannabis may further confound an already confusing landscape for pregnant people who are unsure about their legal rights.
—Lauren Micalizzi, STAT, 2 Mar. 2026
Pokeweed, which is also known as poke root and pokeberry, is a confusing plant.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2026
In practice, many taxpayers find the form confusing and difficult to complete.
—Sakinah Tillman, Baltimore Sun, 28 Feb. 2026
At the same time, the chaotic and confusing state of play has made companies and investors reluctant to make big capital investments.
—Justin Worland, Time, 28 Feb. 2026
Verb
But the notice sent last spring was so vague and confusing that few people used it to object.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026
The company’s messaging has been confusing and has at various points seemed to contradict its own previous statements, as well as information from the government.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2026
The smell masks the insects’ chemical signals, confusing the aphids and affecting their ability to find food.
—Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 7 Mar. 2026
To date, the only explanations offered by the Administration have been confusing more than anything else.
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2026
According to the United Nations, greenwashing includes misleading claims that exaggerate or fabricate environmental benefits, slowing real progress and confusing consumers.
—Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
The United Nations defines greenwashing as misleading claims that exaggerate or fabricate environmental benefits, slowing real progress and confusing consumers.
—Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2026
Williams says the same approach can help caregivers respond more compassionately when someone with dementia expresses a mistaken belief, confusing idea, or hallucination.
—Brian Unger, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
The error lies in confusing intelligence with judgment and speed with wisdom.
—Big Think, 2 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confusing
Adjective
-
Anyone who has seen the way the space works today can recognize that there are a lot of families who find this very, very difficult right now.—
Anna Moeslein,
Glamour,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Demonstrating that was difficult due to natural fluctuations in temperatures.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Mamdani’s revenue estimates look realistic rather than usefully bleak; notwithstanding his perplexing series of revisions, the gap appears to be real.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The craze is perplexing to parents, but Bennett said the Hornets have embraced it to bring joy to young people.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Georgia basketball’s matchup with Tennessee ended in baffling fashion Wednesday night.—
Olivia Sayer,
AJC.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The pilot of a private jet reportedly made an eerie discovery while flying thousands of feet over Rhode Island, marking the latest in unexplained encounters baffling both experts and civilians alike.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
22 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Less precise bombs could mean more civilian casualties, complicating the war and angering even Iranians who wanted a regime change.—
Chris Tye,
CBS News,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Hunt, a Houston-area congressman and military veteran, entered the race later, complicating the anti-Paxton lane and reshaping the dynamics.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Interviewers may favor candidates who share their alma mater or communication style, mistaking familiarity for fit, Naumann says.—
Kristin Stoller,
Fortune,
2 Mar. 2026
-
In a continuation of the running gag on the ABC mockumentary, Sheryl Lee Ralph’s Barbara’s inability to keep celebrity names straight has her mistaking Jennifer Coolidge from The White Lotus for Jennifer Lawrence.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
These are embarrassing own goals that Republicans simply can’t afford.—
S.E. Cupp,
New York Daily News,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Fairchild played the free-wheeling bon vivant Nora Tyler Bing on five episodes of the sitcom classic, unwittingly embarrassing Perry's Chandler Bing to the delight of his pals.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The beams would be far brighter than the full moon and, even if carefully pointed, would scatter in the atmosphere to be very bright off-beam, disrupting wildlife and effectively destroying the sky’s remaining natural beauty by erasing the stars from our sight.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Then, last summer, LA became the first major US city to face large-scale ICE raids, stoking fear among undocumented immigrants and disrupting the restaurant workforce.—
Emily Wilson,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Despite the popularity of other maples, silver maples (Acer saccharinum) have a reputation for being troublesome.—
Samantha Johnson,
Martha Stewart,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Above-ground tree roots can be just as troublesome and require special attention.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Confusing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confusing. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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