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 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
1
as in difficult
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in perplexing
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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
James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Apparently not, but somehow this Masters of the Universe spinoff rose above that confusing decision to bring in viewers… and no, not just the little sisters of the boys who were watching.
—Will Harris, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 4 Sep. 2025
In such a large, complex, dangerous, and confusing world, can one person make a difference to anything?
—Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
Connor Greene, Time, 2 Sep. 2025
Still, Cracker Barrel risks confusing its customers with a rebrand, especially with its recognizable logo and decor, according to Anjali Bal, associate professor of marketing at Babson College.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for confusing
Verb
Gray's leadership, style of play, and contributions made his release from the Saints very confusing.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Apparently not, but somehow this Masters of the Universe spinoff rose above that confusing decision to bring in viewers… and no, not just the little sisters of the boys who were watching.
—Will Harris, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Verb
Gadgets like laser watches and smoke bombs confused guards.
—Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 4 Sep. 2025
In such a large, complex, dangerous, and confusing world, can one person make a difference to anything?
—Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Advertisement Errors in the DOE review included misquoting a climate report, providing incorrect explanations for scientific concepts, and confusing the results of various studies that the report cited.
—Connor Greene, Time, 2 Sep. 2025
Still, Cracker Barrel risks confusing its customers with a rebrand, especially with its recognizable logo and decor, according to Anjali Bal, associate professor of marketing at Babson College.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for confusing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confusing
Adjective
-
The Bulls look to be the best team in the Group of Five conferences, while the Gators and coach Billy Napier are now under pressure with a difficult SEC schedule ahead.—
Erick Smith,
USA Today,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Usually the final day of boot camp is most difficult.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Chronic pain — that is more perplexing, with its biological purpose, if there even is one, proving elusive.—
Dr. Sanjay Gupta,
CNN Money,
2 Sep. 2025
-
The Longs lived by a perplexing tangle of unspoken rules anchored by the admonishment to never invite the neighbors over.—
Kristen Kidd,
Denver Post,
30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Darrisaw will be McCarthy's primary blindside blocker, so his missing the game would have been troublesome for the second-year passer.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Let’s aim to stick with the straightforward nomenclature of AI psychosis as the proper phrasing and not meander into a plethora of troublesome variations.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
That's baffling to me that it was even checked.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
5 Sep. 2025
-
But over the years, designers and engineers have come up with baffling and sometimes even bizarre designs in their quest to imagine what wind power can look like.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The first season of The Office was particularly unpleasant at times, with some of Michael’s most appalling behavior, and The Paper avoids this almost entirely.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
If the egg smells unpleasant or has discoloration, discard the egg.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The Cleveland Browns selected quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in the 2025 NFL draft, opening up a rather puzzling quarterback battle.—
Matt Wadleigh,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Aug. 2025
-
Even more puzzling is the lack of consideration for how the economy has changed in the post-COVID-19 era.—
Nathan Goldman,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Apple has leaned more into natural photographic output, but the extra creative power and the ability to capture impossible shots that the Pixel 10 Pro offers a more attractive story to users.—
Ewan Spence,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
For millions of elderly or disabled people, these were daunting or impossible options.—
Eli Hager,
ProPublica,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Tuesday will go down as one of Boston’s most confounding losses of the season, a 4-3 defeat in 11 innings to the Baltimore Orioles in which the club went 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
22 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Confusing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confusing. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share