1
as in to bewilder
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 to complicate
to make (something) unclear to the understanding
stop confusing the issue with irrelevant facts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to mistake
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 to embarrass
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 to disrupt
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
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
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Recent Examples of confuse
Dale Denwalt, Oklahoman, 6 Mar. 2026
Try planting a row on either side of your cabbages to confuse pests.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2026
Outside Online, 11 Mar. 2026
Pokeweed, which is also known as poke root and pokeberry, is a confusing plant.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for confuse
Verb
The lack of reliable annual funding might confuse some Oklahomans who go searching for ways to help pay for a new storm shelter.
—Dale Denwalt, Oklahoman, 6 Mar. 2026
Try planting a row on either side of your cabbages to confuse pests.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
And my direction was so at a 30,000 foot view was so hard for them and so confusing.
—Outside Online, 11 Mar. 2026
Pokeweed, which is also known as poke root and pokeberry, is a confusing plant.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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
See All Example Sentences for confuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confuse
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
Adjective
-
However, corn gluten meal is also an organic, pre-emergent herbicide that can make quick work of troublesome crabgrass and other weeds in lawns and gardens.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Airport wait times are expected to increase as the shutdown continues — leaving TSA officers in a troublesome spot.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
For virtually any other nominee this year, the choice would seem out of character, inevitably distracting, ultimately baffling.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Mar. 2026
-
To Gilbert Arenas, the former NBA star and podcast host whose son Alijah is a freshman guard with the Trojans, the move was particularly baffling.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Trapped allergens can affect the air quality in your bedroom, triggering congestion, scalp itching and irritation, not to mention unpleasant odors.—
Kate Van Pelt,
The Spruce,
3 Mar. 2026
-
So Miss Manners believes that your sister should apologize — not to her rude guest, but to the other guests, for having been subjected to such an unpleasant scene.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
So when the aircraft suddenly stopped coming for nearly two weeks, the silence was both striking and deeply puzzling.—
Wayne Chang,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
-
With a bit of creativity and intention, even the most puzzling spots can become purposeful design moments.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Now, of course, that’s impossible.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
-
And the notion of Mark Zuckerberg asking Google's Sundar Pichai for permission to use Gemini is almost impossible to imagine.—
Alexei Oreskovic,
Fortune,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In 2021, one year into D’Amaro’s tenure and following COVID shutdowns, Disney did away with FastPass and introduced a confounding and very costly series of pay-to-skip passes, which require timing advanced booking of limited slots in these formerly free-to-enter shorter lines.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The Eagles were a confounding defending champion throughout the regular season.—
Jeff Howe,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Confuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confuse. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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