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
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Recent Examples of confusing
Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Wrong, Krista, to confuse an investment with a subsidy.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 2 Aug. 2025
The president issued new guidelines for tariffs, extended some tariffs for a few months, and is confusing everyone, including consumers.
—Paul Bedard, The Washington Examiner, 2 Aug. 2025
As Covid-19 transmission ramps up in the United States, recent changes to federal vaccine guidance have left many Americans confused about the latest policies and concerned about access to shots this fall.
—Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 1 Aug. 2025
This new policy confused customers with Gold Star Membership, which costs half as much as the Executive Membership.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 1 Aug. 2025
The ongoing adjustments have confused many borrowers.
—Maya Benjamin, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2025
On the day of the second atomic flash, confusing radio chatter about air raid planes would precede, only by a matter of minutes, the sudden loss of power within the maze.
—Charles Pellegrino, Deadline, 31 July 2025
Poyser will be counted on heavily to help retool a secondary that got confused in pass coverage many times last season.
—Manny Navarro, New York Times, 31 July 2025
Verb
The rest of the members’ faces were left blank and confused at the mention of barking.
—Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Wrong, Krista, to confuse an investment with a subsidy.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 2 Aug. 2025
The president issued new guidelines for tariffs, extended some tariffs for a few months, and is confusing everyone, including consumers.
—Paul Bedard, The Washington Examiner, 2 Aug. 2025
As Covid-19 transmission ramps up in the United States, recent changes to federal vaccine guidance have left many Americans confused about the latest policies and concerned about access to shots this fall.
—Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 1 Aug. 2025
This new policy confused customers with Gold Star Membership, which costs half as much as the Executive Membership.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 1 Aug. 2025
The ongoing adjustments have confused many borrowers.
—Maya Benjamin, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2025
On the day of the second atomic flash, confusing radio chatter about air raid planes would precede, only by a matter of minutes, the sudden loss of power within the maze.
—Charles Pellegrino, Deadline, 31 July 2025
Poyser will be counted on heavily to help retool a secondary that got confused in pass coverage many times last season.
—Manny Navarro, New York Times, 31 July 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confusing
Adjective
-
This deep understanding of local transportation patterns would have been difficult with rapid multi-city expansion.—
Tima Bansal,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
-
No calendar issue generates more frustration, or is more difficult to solve, than the transfer portal.—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
How the company hasn't bought AI start-up Anthropic is downright perplexing, to use the word of the day.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
4 Aug. 2025
-
To Boltzmann’s contemporaries, this was perplexing.—
Leila Sloman,
Wired News,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
That is probably true – but only makes the current freefall more troublesome.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Florida’s wildlife commissioners set aside pleas and arguments from black bear advocates today and approved a December hunt of the state’s shy but increasingly troublesome species.—
Stephen Hudak,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Here are just a few examples of the baffling details that the film tries to convince viewers are completely reasonable.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
12 Aug. 2025
-
Even loyal fans may take occasional issue with a feature that’s by turns absurdist, philosophical, violent, wayward, satirical and baffling.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Once again, America confronts the unpleasant truth that the Constitution does not expressly guarantee a right to vote — and neither will the Supreme Court.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Aug. 2025
-
The past year has been an unpleasant one for the value approach.—
John Dorfman,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Even more puzzling is the UFC dropping a heavyweight who’s only 33.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
-
The firm then pivoted to focus on selling carbon credits, a puzzling, dramatic shift that Forbes chronicled two years ago.—
Stephen Pastis,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Humanity Protocol, valued at over a billion dollars, uses palm scans to confirm identity so impersonation becomes almost impossible.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
-
That suggests 2014 may have been a tipping point beyond which returning to normal wet-dry cycles may be impossible on human timescales.—
Mark Gongloff,
Mercury News,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Kennedy points out that these knowledge structures can become unwieldy.—
Hessie Jones,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
-
In addition, one-way puzzles generate keys that are too unwieldy to actually open locks.—
Ben Brubaker,
Quanta Magazine,
25 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Confusing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confusing. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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