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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in perplexing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 confuse
Peter White, Deadline, 22 May 2025
Computers can be programmed to recognize gravitational lensing, but the effects can be easily confused for galaxies that look similar to a distorted background galaxy.
—Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 22 May 2025
Save the Dunes now uses the Barker House – not to be confused with Barker Mansion – in Michigan City as its headquarters.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 18 May 2025
The change in style confused the Celtics in Games 1 and 2, which included a couple of 20-point Knicks comebacks.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for confuse
Verb
However, many in the unscripted business have been slightly confused by its strategy since Chris Castallo left the role of head of unscripted in 2023.
—Peter White, Deadline, 22 May 2025
Computers can be programmed to recognize gravitational lensing, but the effects can be easily confused for galaxies that look similar to a distorted background galaxy.
—Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 22 May 2025
Save the Dunes now uses the Barker House – not to be confused with Barker Mansion – in Michigan City as its headquarters.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 18 May 2025
The change in style confused the Celtics in Games 1 and 2, which included a couple of 20-point Knicks comebacks.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for confuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confuse
Adjective
-
Two of Elissa’s tumors were obliterated that day, but the third was too difficult to reach without repositioning Elissa’s body in a way that would have taken too much time under anesthesia.—
Kristen Jordan Shamus,
USA Today,
19 May 2025
-
Luca Solca sector head for global luxury goods at Bernstein Clouding the picture further, many other premium Swiss watchmakers including Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet, are privately owned, making their performance difficult to decipher.—
Karen Gilchrist,
CNBC,
18 May 2025
Adjective
-
Even more perplexing: If shutting off service to new customers without an account is their strict policy, why wait until Friday to execute it?—
Ryan Minton,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
-
Part of the reason structures like the Hercules–Corona Borealis Great Wall are so perplexing to scientists has to do with the cosmological principle, which most models of the cosmos are founded upon.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
It’s advised to create accounts on both apps—WeChat and Alipay—well before your trip, as registering within China can be troublesome.—
Chris Schalkx,
AFAR Media,
22 May 2025
-
The most troublesome loan in Donald Trump’s empire, a $115 million mortgage against a Wall Street skyscraper, comes due in exactly 46 days.—
Dan Alexander,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
Adjective
-
There’s also the return of Esai Morales as the mustache-twirling villain whose motivation is as baffling as the Entity itself.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
14 May 2025
-
This was baffling to many observers, including this one, and was widely ridiculed, even receiving a friendly jab from rival, Peacock.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
Adjective
-
Best Smelling Photograph: Kristin Canning Grand Tongo Green Tea + Mint Insect Repellent $15 Amazon After testing nearly 20 different bug sprays (that pretty much all smelled at least a little unpleasant and chemical-y), this picaridin spray from Grand Tongo truly blew me away.—
Kristin Canning,
Wired News,
21 May 2025
-
Today after dropping off groceries, my wife noted that the refrigerator, in her opinion, had an unpleasant odor.—
Eric Thomas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 May 2025
Adjective
-
In the early 2000s, marine biologists first noticed a puzzling pattern.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
-
The sad story of Alex Verdugo was one of the most puzzling dramas of the MLB offseason.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
That being said, the researchers point out that eliminating cysteine from human diets is all but impossible because the amino acid is found in nearly all foods.—
Michael Franco
May 21,
New Atlas,
21 May 2025
-
The teardown and communications teams at iFixit were largely expecting Apple to release another tiny product that was impossible to fix or have its batteries swapped, filling the gaps in landfills alongside AirPods.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
21 May 2025
Adjective
-
But as evening hours set in, the upbeat tone stood at odds with the unwieldy scene at the Capitol.—
Joey Cappelletti,
Chicago Tribune,
21 May 2025
-
There’s a lot of comedy in the unwieldy quadrilateral chest panel of Alex’s dress.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
6 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Confuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confuse. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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