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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of confusing
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
The fragmentation of this reality has made things exciting, confusing, and frustrating for the average individual who, when walking into a dispensary for the first time, is confronted with a wall of packages and detailed, jargony labels.
—Carly Fisher, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Oct. 2025
Disappearing discounts These are confusing times.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
While there are plenty of programs to help guide new scribes, navigating those can be a confusing and overwhelming task in and of itself.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2025
The 22-year-old shared that what began as a family celebration turned into a deeply confusing and painful moment that left both her and her boyfriend hurt.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
The toxicity of the relationships, the confusing aspects of romantic love.
—Ernesto Lechner, Rolling Stone, 27 Oct. 2025
Nix entered Sunday with statistics that were equal parts stunning and confusing.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 27 Oct. 2025
The San Francisco 49ers continue to deal with multiple injuries, but one that is consistently a bit confusing is the return of Brock Purdy.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
PC Magazine, 25 Oct. 2025
This was out of respect for me, and also to avoid confusing the children.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025
Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is among those coaches expected to get real consideration in next year's head-coaching cycle, and his propensity for confusing young QBs is well known across the NFL.
—Max Dible, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
There are questions to see if Marysol and Alexia are actually twins, but the questions are lame, and their answers are confusing and disappointing.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
This brings the total to more than $2 million raised to influence the outcome of Referendum 310, funding a wave of misleading ads aimed at confusing voters.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 15 Oct. 2025
The British and American versions also have different plot points, further confusing the matter, but the score has endured and developed a cult-following.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2025
Brewers center fielder Sal Frelick jumped and got a glove on it but the ball caromed off his glove and the top of the wall, bouncing back into the field of play – where Frelick caught it, thoroughly confusing the three Dodger baserunners.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 14 Oct. 2025
However, understanding what needs to be done can be confusing due to a constant stream of climate updates, scientific findings and critical decisions that are shaping our future.
—Abc Climate Unit, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
This last episode was much more confusing than usual.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
The fragmentation of this reality has made things exciting, confusing, and frustrating for the average individual who, when walking into a dispensary for the first time, is confronted with a wall of packages and detailed, jargony labels.
—Carly Fisher, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Oct. 2025
Disappearing discounts These are confusing times.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
While there are plenty of programs to help guide new scribes, navigating those can be a confusing and overwhelming task in and of itself.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2025
The 22-year-old shared that what began as a family celebration turned into a deeply confusing and painful moment that left both her and her boyfriend hurt.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
The toxicity of the relationships, the confusing aspects of romantic love.
—Ernesto Lechner, Rolling Stone, 27 Oct. 2025
Nix entered Sunday with statistics that were equal parts stunning and confusing.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 27 Oct. 2025
The San Francisco 49ers continue to deal with multiple injuries, but one that is consistently a bit confusing is the return of Brock Purdy.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Perplexity’s image features photographs of people with some truly nightmarish distortions on its wall, while the placement of its sink is confusing and distracting.
—PC Magazine, 25 Oct. 2025
This was out of respect for me, and also to avoid confusing the children.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025
Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is among those coaches expected to get real consideration in next year's head-coaching cycle, and his propensity for confusing young QBs is well known across the NFL.
—Max Dible, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
There are questions to see if Marysol and Alexia are actually twins, but the questions are lame, and their answers are confusing and disappointing.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
This brings the total to more than $2 million raised to influence the outcome of Referendum 310, funding a wave of misleading ads aimed at confusing voters.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 15 Oct. 2025
The British and American versions also have different plot points, further confusing the matter, but the score has endured and developed a cult-following.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2025
Brewers center fielder Sal Frelick jumped and got a glove on it but the ball caromed off his glove and the top of the wall, bouncing back into the field of play – where Frelick caught it, thoroughly confusing the three Dodger baserunners.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 14 Oct. 2025
However, understanding what needs to be done can be confusing due to a constant stream of climate updates, scientific findings and critical decisions that are shaping our future.
—Abc Climate Unit, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confusing
Verb
-
One morning, members of the Fort Greely missile defense base spot an ICBM of unknown origin on a suborbital trajectory heading straight for Chicago, baffling the country’s top intelligence and defense teams who only have 18 minutes to respond before impact.—
Jake Kring-Schreifels,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
-
But there were strengths here, too, none more than England’s impervious Lazarus complex, that baffling inability to know when one is in a state of emergency.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Potentially complicating this further is Microsoft’s expanding partnership with Anthropic, with Claude now available in Microsoft 365 and Excel.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Meara asks, complicating the matter further by wondering this inquiry aloud while the two of them are chatting with Mike Douglas on his daytime show.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Logic detects patterns and refines them, mistaking iteration for innovation.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
3 Nov. 2025
-
With his long, bushy beard, hair down to his shoulders, and a voice that can rumble walls, there’s really no mistaking Jamey Johnson.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
For French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, the heist spotlights embarrassing security failings at one of France’s most venerable institutions.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The New York Mets fell short of the postseason in embarrassing fashion last season, so this offseason is going to be more important than ever.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
And that crackdown is disrupting the global remittance market.—
NPR,
NPR,
29 Oct. 2025
-
This prevents stray heat from disrupting the atoms’ oscillations.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Cue, Helm’s first rejection, abandonment, difficult emotions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
This character was actually quite difficult for me.—
Gavin J Blair,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The sheriff’s office was called, and initially the deaths were deemed suspicious, though the situation seemed more perplexing than criminal.—
Joy Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
-
In a whirlwind year for the organization, his slump was one of the more perplexing developments.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
18 Oct. 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 5 Nov. 2025.
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