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
Ian Gibson, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
PooCrave rose in the wake of PopCrave, a Twitter account that is practically legacy media at this point, which aggregates news and celebrity birthdays and casting announcements (not to be confused with PopBase … which is similar and different).
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2026
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
Look, watching sports has become confusing and expensive.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Rob Williams, EverydayHealth.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Welcome to Asking for a Friend, a weekly series dedicated to solving the messy, awkward, and confusing parts of modern friendship.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for confuse
Verb
But online as an antidote only works if the sector stops confusing access with quality.
—Ian Gibson, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
PooCrave rose in the wake of PopCrave, a Twitter account that is practically legacy media at this point, which aggregates news and celebrity birthdays and casting announcements (not to be confused with PopBase … which is similar and different).
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Drivers will discover that the design causes unavoidable backups in both directions on Broward Boulevard, plus confusing and hazardous lane changes to avoid traffic flowing from the opposite direction.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
Look, watching sports has become confusing and expensive.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
Sorting foods according to the number of ingredients and the technology used to make the foods — but not the actual nutritional value — could just end up confusing people and distracting from the larger issue.
—Rob Williams, EverydayHealth.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Welcome to Asking for a Friend, a weekly series dedicated to solving the messy, awkward, and confusing parts of modern friendship.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for confuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confuse
Adjective
-
Combining all of this in one material has been difficult because thermal control and signal control rely on very different properties.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
3 May 2026
-
Despite the removal of material, the architecture can result in a busy design and potentially make reading the time difficult.—
Paige Reddinger,
Robb Report,
3 May 2026
Adjective
-
The whole situation was perplexing.—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Our universe is full of mysteries, but few are as perplexing as the dark, tiny galaxies that hover around larger ones like the Milky Way.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Negative campaigning is nothing new, but Conway’s latest tactics are particularly troublesome.—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Food waste is heavy and troublesome for landfills but can be beneficially composted.—
Mike Ryan,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
That number, and a whole lot of others, were just baffling.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
-
One giant leap for actor/director Andy Serkis’ baffling use of free will.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
If plastic is a must (especially in areas prone to moisture), the vinegar, baking soda, and enzyme detergent routine should get all unpleasant smells out.—
Melissa Epifano,
The Spruce,
1 May 2026
-
This can result in unpleasant odors, stains, and even mold and mildew growth.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
However, the Echoes From the Past creators made the puzzling and terrifying artistic choice to have VR visitors ride outside the sub during the descent.—
Jordan Runtagh,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Everyone already knows about the Red Sox’s struggles, especially at the plate, but the Mariners and Tigers’ early slumps have been equally puzzling.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
So heavy, in fact, that the Magic crumbled underneath the weight and the tone of the series has changed, and the reasons are impossible to ignore.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 May 2026
-
April 20 – May 20 A turning point in your relationships becomes impossible to ignore.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Grief is one of the most confounding aspects of the human experience.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Confuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confuse. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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