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
Rose Evans
updated May 28, Idaho Statesman, 28 May 2026
Aron, 37, said students are confused by school policies that simultaneously try to restrict AI use in class and push them to hone their expertise in it.
—Jared Perlo, NBC news, 28 May 2026
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
Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 20 May 2026
Showing a simplified workflow of chain of thought would avoid confusing the average user who just wants a pretty UI and doesn’t care that it was generated on the spot.
—ArsTechnica, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for confuse
Verb
Drivers were confused by two yellow lines painted eight feet apart, as well as the reflectiveness of the black paint that covered over the old lines, Youmans said.
—Rose Evans
updated May 28, Idaho Statesman, 28 May 2026
Aron, 37, said students are confused by school policies that simultaneously try to restrict AI use in class and push them to hone their expertise in it.
—Jared Perlo, NBC news, 28 May 2026
Adjective
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
Verb
Those practices included predatory mortgage lending, junk fees, confusing jargon on financial product descriptions, payday loans, and much more.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 20 May 2026
Showing a simplified workflow of chain of thought would avoid confusing the average user who just wants a pretty UI and doesn’t care that it was generated on the spot.
—ArsTechnica, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for confuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confuse
Verb
-
Former Republican state senator Jeff Brandes, who now leads the Florida Policy Project, said he was bewildered by the governor's proposal.—
Jim DeFede,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
-
Gasly seems faintly bewildered by the designation.—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Rain is forecast on Saturday afternoon, which could complicate the mission which involves navigating steep passageways within the cavern.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
But then things got complicated.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
Alvarez, 41, was in MacArthur Park on May 18 when he was approached by two police officers, who initially mistook him as the suspect in a vehicle theft, according to a Justice Department news release and a criminal complaint filed Wednesday in the Central District of California.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
The problem is mistaking a large platform — or a fluent AI — for a qualified one, and letting that mistake drive decisions that actually matter.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes.com,
28 May 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
-
Some fans weighed in on his outfit choice on social media, sparking conversations about if the actor might have embarrassed his wife.—
Juliana Ukiomogbe,
InStyle,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Closure of the strait, at the southern end of the Red Sea and a critical gateway to the Suez Canal, could significantly disrupt global trade.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
-
The British Museum elected to postpone a Jewish Culture Month event that was scheduled to take place last Thursday, May 28th due to concerns that the talk—a lecture on Ancient Israel and Judah—might be disrupted by protests.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
1 June 2026
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
Cite this Entry
“Confuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confuse. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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