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
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 confuse
Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 24 Mar. 2026
Neighbors also swept up and said the intersection is confusing for some drivers.
—Joe Holden, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
Brent Lang, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
Since the judge’s decision, Malone has made confusing statements about the status of the panel.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 25 Mar. 2026
Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026
There was the shutdown in the fall, staff layoffs, confusing guidance for grant reviewers, and delays getting out the notices for funding opportunities.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for confuse
Verb
And hand sanitizers, shampoos and liquid soaps smell good and can be confused for water or milk.
—Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 24 Mar. 2026
Neighbors also swept up and said the intersection is confusing for some drivers.
—Joe Holden, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
At the time, many critics faulted its confusing plot.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
Since the judge’s decision, Malone has made confusing statements about the status of the panel.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
Since the Affordable Care Act subsidies expired at the end of 2025, Americans have undoubtedly been encountering a great deal of confusing information surrounding health care costs and insurance plans.
—Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026
There was the shutdown in the fall, staff layoffs, confusing guidance for grant reviewers, and delays getting out the notices for funding opportunities.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for confuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confuse
Adjective
-
Christie acknowledged that the Kings were in a difficult position given their recent schedule injury situation.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Even putting the tank on the ice was more difficult this year.—
Spencer Wilson,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The judging is vexing and perplexing.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Radziwill’s absence has been somewhat perplexing.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
That has never happened, even with Miami taking a fiscally responsible approach last offseason to help balance Miami’s troublesome books.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Giant hogweed is particularly troublesome in Erie County, with more than 100 hogweed sites identified (the most in the state).—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This baffling inconsistency has challenged planetary physics and raised doubts about how scientists interpret signals from distant worlds.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Mar. 2026
-
That Smith’s work remains little-known is all the more baffling considering the strength and depth of a retrospective now up at Keith de Lellis.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
That said, whole-virus vaccines can cause more unpleasant side effects, and in rare cases, weakened live pathogens can redevelop infectious capability.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Like, what would make this already unpleasant environment even spicier?—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
More puzzling, critics said, has been the union’s response to other farmworker advocates.—
Marcos Breton,
Sacbee.com,
24 Mar. 2026
-
On the flip side, Orlando has been a puzzling disappointment, a team — just like the Heat — that has followed a seven-game winning streak with an ongoing five-game losing streak.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
For the uninitiated, Horses was one of those buzzy, impossible-to-get-into, celebrity-magnet restaurants in LA.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The results show that reproduction could pose a real challenge for future space settlers, but it still can’t be ruled out as impossible.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
27 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 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
