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
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 confusing
Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2026
Kitura Taniaa/Tetiana Kitura/Getty Images The price of gold can be confusing to track.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Firstly, and the most confusing of all, what is it called?
—New Atlas, 16 Apr. 2026
Here’s where things can get confusing.
—Jeff Lazerson, Oc Register, 16 Apr. 2026
San Diegans have watched costs rise higher than projections, going to $30–$40 per month, while dealing with confusing decisions on new trash cans, absent customer service and a variety of service providers rolling through neighborhoods multiple times a week.
—Venus Molina, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
In the somewhat confusing hierarchy of TV show production, the showrunner has creative oversight of the series.
—Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Of everything that unfolded in a game of breakneck swings, this was the most confusing, simply because Booker does not often miss.
—Doug Haller, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
For filmmakers who view their individual work as the center of gravity, this can sit somewhere between confusing and insulting.
—Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2026
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
That’s not all that’s confusing across the first season.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2026
Their jerseys are very cool, but confusing The Belgian national team does have a very cool new away kit (uniform) styled after famous surrealist artist René Magritte.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 7 Apr. 2026
The Wall Street Journal added the CIA assisted in the operation, confusing Iran about the status of the rescue mission and drones were used to keep others away from the pilot.
—Joe Dwinell, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
As if that wasn’t confusing enough, not all Christians agree on what day of the calendar that specific Sunday is.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 4 Apr. 2026
However, following the path of Artemis II may be confusing as the astronauts, mission control and others use confusing jargon and phrases.
—Bymary Kekatos, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Umpires have approached Brian Utley at baseball tournaments, confusing him for the older Chase Utley.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2026
This device is a high-tech centrifuge that simulates microgravity by spinning vials with samples around two axes, effectively confusing the cells inside as to their position in space.
—Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
This entire conversation might have concluded two years ago if the voters whose support the Royals required hadn’t viewed the details as a combination of absent, confusing or shifting.
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2026
Kitura Taniaa/Tetiana Kitura/Getty Images The price of gold can be confusing to track.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Firstly, and the most confusing of all, what is it called?
—New Atlas, 16 Apr. 2026
Here’s where things can get confusing.
—Jeff Lazerson, Oc Register, 16 Apr. 2026
San Diegans have watched costs rise higher than projections, going to $30–$40 per month, while dealing with confusing decisions on new trash cans, absent customer service and a variety of service providers rolling through neighborhoods multiple times a week.
—Venus Molina, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
In the somewhat confusing hierarchy of TV show production, the showrunner has creative oversight of the series.
—Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Of everything that unfolded in a game of breakneck swings, this was the most confusing, simply because Booker does not often miss.
—Doug Haller, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
For filmmakers who view their individual work as the center of gravity, this can sit somewhere between confusing and insulting.
—Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2026
Verb
But Neptune also blurs lines, which is why its influence can feel mysterious or even confusing at times.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
That’s not all that’s confusing across the first season.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2026
Their jerseys are very cool, but confusing The Belgian national team does have a very cool new away kit (uniform) styled after famous surrealist artist René Magritte.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 7 Apr. 2026
The Wall Street Journal added the CIA assisted in the operation, confusing Iran about the status of the rescue mission and drones were used to keep others away from the pilot.
—Joe Dwinell, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
As if that wasn’t confusing enough, not all Christians agree on what day of the calendar that specific Sunday is.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 4 Apr. 2026
However, following the path of Artemis II may be confusing as the astronauts, mission control and others use confusing jargon and phrases.
—Bymary Kekatos, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Umpires have approached Brian Utley at baseball tournaments, confusing him for the older Chase Utley.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2026
This device is a high-tech centrifuge that simulates microgravity by spinning vials with samples around two axes, effectively confusing the cells inside as to their position in space.
—Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confusing
Adjective
-
Putting in the new chip was more difficult.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The rest will be more difficult.—
Doug Haller,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Perhaps the most perplexing part of the Nancy Guthrie investigation for the general public has been the lack of information.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
14 Apr. 2026
-
But as the adorable pair get acclimated to life in the nest, they've been observed doing some perplexing – perhaps even seemingly concerning – behavior.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As the castle’s internal order collapses under the weight of a string of baffling crimes, Araki strikes a fragile alliance with Kuroda Kanbei – a razor-minded captive languishing in his own dungeon – in a race to root out a traitor before Oda’s army closes in.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
14 Apr. 2026
-
This inversion explains a host of baffling political and cultural phenomena of late.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Hundreds of thousands of Cuban Americans are pursuing compensation for homes, businesses and land confiscated by Castro’s government, complicating potential negotiations.—
Joshua Goodman,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
-
That could play out again with Cherfilus-McCormick and Mills, though one complicating factor with the Florida Republican is his ethics investigation isn’t as far along.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sabrina Carpenter on Saturday issued an apology on X after mistaking a fan’s Zaghrouta, an Arabic celebration call, with yodeling during her headlining Coachella set on Friday night.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Cooper is enormous, and there is no mistaking his power.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This risks embarrassing them if it is damaged and there is nothing that can be done about it.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
And when that happens, Jamahl Mosley — a good coach and an even better man — will be the fall guy for a team that is embarrassing itself on a national scale and getting exposed in the league standings.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The hospitality union represents roughly 2,000 workers at the arena, potentially disrupting one of the biggest sporting events in the world.—
Luzdelia Caballero,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
-
In such a case, if the people passing the message did not have complete control of their devices, an outsider could potentially subtly change the particles’ entanglement, disrupting the communication without leaving a trace.—
Matt von Hippel,
Quanta Magazine,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
During the Cold War, this meant limiting the Soviet Union’s influence in the region, while contending with the development of nuclear weapons by two troublesome allies, Israel and Pakistan.—
Jeffrey Taliaferro,
The Conversation,
11 Apr. 2026
-
That can be troublesome as consumers are grappling with higher grocery prices and strained budgets.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Confusing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confusing. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
