confusion
noun
con·fu·sion
kən-ˈfyü-zhən 
1
: an act or instance of confusing
confusion of the issue
2
a
: the quality or state of being confused
mental confusion
During the night orders and counterorders added to the confusion, … and by morning the VIth Corps was in a disorganized shambles …—
Barbara W. Tuchman
Barbara W. Tuchman
b
: a confused mass or mixture
a confusion of voices
Examples of confusion in a Sentence
There is still some confusion as to the time of the meeting.
There is a great deal of confusion about how the system works.
the anxieties and confusions of teenage life
He stared in confusion and disbelief.
There was total confusion when the truck hit the restaurant.
Recent Examples on the Web
This month asks you to sit in the confusion and uncertainty without numbing it or outsourcing your clarity to someone else’s gut instinct.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Jan. 2026
To clear up the confusion, The Charlotte Observer asked law enforcement to weigh in on several frequently misunderstood rules.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 31 Dec. 2025
This type of shedding is usually reversible, but its timing contributes to the seasonal confusion.
—Connie Etemadi, Miami Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
During that game, utilityman Willi Castro was removed, prompting confusion and speculation that he had been traded.
—Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for confusion
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Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Jan. 2026
To clear up the confusion, The Charlotte Observer asked law enforcement to weigh in on several frequently misunderstood rules.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 31 Dec. 2025
This type of shedding is usually reversible, but its timing contributes to the seasonal confusion.
—Connie Etemadi, Miami Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
During that game, utilityman Willi Castro was removed, prompting confusion and speculation that he had been traded.
—Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for confusion
Cite this Entry
“Confusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confusion. Accessed 6 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
confusion
noun
con·fu·sion
kən-ˈfyü-zhən
1
: an act or instance of confusing
2
: the quality or state of being confused
her confusion was obvious
Medical Definition
confusion
noun
con·fu·sion
kən-ˈfyü-zhən
: disturbance of consciousness characterized by inability to engage in orderly thought or by lack of power to distinguish, choose, or act decisively
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