confusion

noun

kən-ˈfyü-zhən How to pronounce confusion (audio)
Definition of confusionnext
1
as in fog
a state of mental uncertainty the farmer's driving directions to the fairground just left us in total confusion

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2
as in havoc
a state in which everything is out of order it was hard to find anything in that confusion in the attic

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3
as in embarrassment
the emotional state of being made self-consciously uncomfortable thrown into speechless confusion by the wild accusations

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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 confusion If either of those planes go down and there's confusion about where the president is, that puts you in a whole another universe. — ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026 Symptoms include anxiety, hypervigilance, confusion and mania, and taking on activities that might be considered strange. — Deborah Becker, NPR, 16 Aug. 2026 The confusion follows Frankie Valli’s decision in May to cancel a 2026 farewell tour due to his ongoing health challenges. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 15 Aug. 2026 But city officials said a provision allowing drivers to park for the protection of their vehicles created confusion and gave some motorists grounds to challenge tickets. — Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for confusion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confusion
  1. fog
  2. havoc
  3. embarrassment
  4. tangle
  5. chaos
  6. unease
  7. perplexity
  8. jumble
Noun
  • For near the coast this weekend, a thick layer of clouds and fog can be expected.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 14 Aug. 2026
  • There are fog machines, rainstorm fans, seat shaker amplifiers, flashing strobe lights and strong scents, according to Regal’s website.
    — Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of fog
Noun
  • The tropical storm hit Japan days after Typhoon Dolphin created havoc in parts of southern Japan, paralyzing traffic and sending hundreds to take shelter.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • At the center of the effort was sixth-year linebacker Nick Bolton, the quarterback of the unit, who focused on galvanizing the troops to create havoc and slow down an offense that had been humming earlier in the frame.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of havoc
Noun
  • When service is done and cleaned up, both Joy and Kayley cry tears of embarrassment and frustration.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Their love is expressed through proximity, embarrassment, loyalty, silence, and simply remaining present.
    — Dana Feldman, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of embarrassment
Noun
  • In the nearly 3,000 patients who donated their brains to science, the brains of those who took estrogen were less likely to show neurobiological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease, such as beta-amyloid plaques or tangles of tau protein.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026
  • It can be set up in under a minute without a tangle of wires to trip over.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of tangle
Noun
  • The venerable establishment was undamaged, but shut down amid the chaos.
    — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • As climate chaos causes oceans to swallow coastlands, and as surging water displaces and devastates communities, social survival will demand that people find ways to live and work with – and on – the water.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of chaos
Noun
  • Global economic instability has created unease at home, and a property crisis coupled with high youth unemployment has convinced some residents that securing a stable job within the government is the best path.
    — Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • There's more unease about opportunities among younger generations.
    — Anthony Salvanto, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of unease
Noun
  • The first weeks were a roller coaster of pleasure and perplexity.
    — Tim Parks, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2026
  • The fashion world, for the most part, reacted with perplexity.
    — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2026
Definition of perplexity
Noun
  • Arches and natural bridges sweep like buttresses from jumbles of rock, giving this landscape a mystical, cathedral-like quality.
    — Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.
    — Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of jumble

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Cite this Entry

“Confusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confusion. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on confusion

Nglish: Translation of confusion for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about confusion

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