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
Maia Rosenfeld, NBC news, 29 May 2026
Swimsuits for women my size are typically cumbersome, made with a confusing excess of fabric, and frumpy.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Co-starring Candy Clark, Rip Torn, and Buck Henry, the occasionally confusing movie also has its share of controversy.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 29 May 2026
The previous name, polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, is imprecise and confusing to patients, families and physicians.
—Melanie Cree, The Conversation, 29 May 2026
Microsoft also launched several versions of Copilot, confusing customers.
—Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 29 May 2026
Rain hammered Independence Boulevard hard enough to blur the windshield, and the voice taking my order came through muffled and distant, though no more confusing than a late-night order at Cook Out.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2026
If your intake process is confusing, AI will automate a confusing intake faster.
—Omer Qureshi, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
The organization of features is simply confusing.
—Jill Duffy, PC Magazine, 28 May 2026
Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 6 June 2026
Since tickets went on sale last year, there has been ongoing controversy surrounding the cost of attendance, from confusing (and expensive) ticket prices to high transit costs.
—Joe Murphy, NBC news, 1 June 2026
Patients taken to court described baffling bills, confusing health plan rules, and frustrating and fruitless telephone calls to hospital billing offices and health insurers’ customer-service lines.
—Katy Golvala, Hartford Courant, 1 June 2026
Similar variations abound from campus to campus and across the different states and universities across the US – confusing students and employers alike.
—Bryan Penprase, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Between endless skin care launches and ever-changing beauty trends, understanding the root cause of your dry skin can get confusing fast.
—Kieaundria Bellamy, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Schoen’s contract extension is confusing at best.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 22 May 2026
My leverage pathways try to provide the best angles at procuring saves despite the multitude of confusing usage patterns throughout the league.
—Greg Jewett, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Huxley’s critique is clear; America mistakes body for spirit, promiscuously confusing the physical with the metaphysical.
—Literary Hub, 21 May 2026
Adjective
The lack of clarity makes choosing a company potentially confusing for patients, and the medical profession is partly to blame, said Jamy Ard, an obesity doctor and researcher at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
—Maia Rosenfeld, NBC news, 29 May 2026
Swimsuits for women my size are typically cumbersome, made with a confusing excess of fabric, and frumpy.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Co-starring Candy Clark, Rip Torn, and Buck Henry, the occasionally confusing movie also has its share of controversy.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 29 May 2026
The previous name, polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, is imprecise and confusing to patients, families and physicians.
—Melanie Cree, The Conversation, 29 May 2026
Microsoft also launched several versions of Copilot, confusing customers.
—Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 29 May 2026
Rain hammered Independence Boulevard hard enough to blur the windshield, and the voice taking my order came through muffled and distant, though no more confusing than a late-night order at Cook Out.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2026
If your intake process is confusing, AI will automate a confusing intake faster.
—Omer Qureshi, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
The organization of features is simply confusing.
—Jill Duffy, PC Magazine, 28 May 2026
Verb
Relocating a bird's nest is confusing for the parents, dangerous for the eggs, and, in most cases, against the law.
—Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 6 June 2026
Since tickets went on sale last year, there has been ongoing controversy surrounding the cost of attendance, from confusing (and expensive) ticket prices to high transit costs.
—Joe Murphy, NBC news, 1 June 2026
Patients taken to court described baffling bills, confusing health plan rules, and frustrating and fruitless telephone calls to hospital billing offices and health insurers’ customer-service lines.
—Katy Golvala, Hartford Courant, 1 June 2026
Similar variations abound from campus to campus and across the different states and universities across the US – confusing students and employers alike.
—Bryan Penprase, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Between endless skin care launches and ever-changing beauty trends, understanding the root cause of your dry skin can get confusing fast.
—Kieaundria Bellamy, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Schoen’s contract extension is confusing at best.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 22 May 2026
My leverage pathways try to provide the best angles at procuring saves despite the multitude of confusing usage patterns throughout the league.
—Greg Jewett, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Huxley’s critique is clear; America mistakes body for spirit, promiscuously confusing the physical with the metaphysical.
—Literary Hub, 21 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confusing
Adjective
-
That was so tragic, so difficult for Prince William and Prince Harry which has stayed with them.—
Stephen Schaefer,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
-
Every business leader waiting for a difficult market to come around should pay attention to what happened in Seoul.—
Bill Schiffmiller,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
What might motivate Rozier to take part in such as scheme is perplexing.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
-
The right-hander has struggled to maintain his velocity this season, a perplexing trend largely stemming from an inconsistency in his mechanics.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
For more than four minutes Darnold drove downfield, connecting on three of four passes, baffling the pass rushers, bleeding the clock, and by the time the Seahawks finally gave the ball back, the Rams had only 25 seconds to live.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
-
Though some of the recent playoff defeats have been baffling and call for self-evaluation within the organization, the culture has been a huge net positive overall.—
Jay King,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
The attacks are complicating US peace talks with Iran, with Tehran insisting that any ceasefire with Washington must include Israel’s operations in Lebanon.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
2 June 2026
-
Health officials say the outbreak likely circulated undetected for weeks before it was identified, complicating efforts to trace contacts and isolate infected individuals.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
On the football field, there is no mistaking New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
-
For the past 40 years, Boise State football’s blue turf has drawn jokes and jabs, and there has been that urban myth about how all manner of birds were mistaking the field for a giant pond, resulting in their crashing-landing like a quarterback taking a big hit from a charging linebacker.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Then to Sydney Harbour, the very scene of that embarrassing capsize exactly a year earlier, and the Americans won the event outright for a first win since October 2023.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
-
Lutnick's voluntary closed-door interview comes amid a monthslong procession of powerful people summoned before the committee, many of whom have been subjected to embarrassing revelations in the more than 3 million pages of records known as the Epstein files.—
Graham Kates,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Lastly, azelaic acid can help reduce redness and breakouts gently, without disrupting the skin’s ecosystem.—
Tatiana Dias,
Vogue,
29 May 2026
-
Jim also reiterated his view that concerns about AI disrupting cybersecurity have proven misguided as digital threats become increasingly sophisticated.—
Alexa LoMonaco,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
Trash cans or compost bins positioned near entryways can attract troublesome pests.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 May 2026
-
Nostalgia for this troublesome decade was more common among the men.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Confusing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confusing. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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