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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of confuse
Zero is gender-fluid, which inevitably leads to old man Mitts being cranky and confused on the subject.
—
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 3 June 2025
When Greensburg had an opening for an assistant superintendent, John Hunter joked about applying just to confuse people.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2025
From afar, visitors sometimes confuse them for snow.
—Mike Belleme, New York Times, 31 May 2025
Also, this word et cetera at the end of the sentence confused me.
—EW.com, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for confuse
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 3 June 2025
When Greensburg had an opening for an assistant superintendent, John Hunter joked about applying just to confuse people.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2025
From afar, visitors sometimes confuse them for snow.
—Mike Belleme, New York Times, 31 May 2025
Also, this word et cetera at the end of the sentence confused me.
—EW.com, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for confuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confuse
Verb
-
Ten years ago, the Kardashians’ floods of content bewildered us.—
M. J. Corey,
New Yorker,
24 May 2025
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Lee’s downfall initially bewildered those who knew and cared about him.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
21 May 2025
Verb
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The answer is complicated, and the eight-episode series does a great job exploring the question from multiple perspectives, but overall, Burns has walked away from the experiment far less concerned that AI will ever become a successful screenwriter.—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
13 June 2025
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Newsom did exactly that, but in response to criticism from Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins over how the Los Angeles protests are complicating the department’s services.—
Naomi Lim,
The Washington Examiner,
12 June 2025
Verb
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The couple saw the man take their ladder and at first mistook him for their gardener, later realizing that wasn’t the case, according to prosecutors.—
Sara Schilling,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2025
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Scholars who weren’t alive for the 1793 showing at the Royal Academy mistook the setting for Rochester Castle (which Turner also painted that same year) and assumed the medium was watercolor.—
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
12 June 2025
Verb
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The following program will contain graphic stupidity, as four friends compete to embarrass one another – only this time in Lithuania.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
9 June 2025
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The intensity of the Russian attacks on Ukraine over the past weeks has further dampened hopes that the warring sides could reach a peace deal anytime soon — especially after Kyiv recently embarrassed the Kremlin with a surprising drone attack on military airfields deep inside Russia.—
SAMYA KULLAB,
Chicago Tribune,
7 June 2025
Verb
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The earthquake disrupted the World Series and damaged the Bay Bridge, Oakland’s Cypress Freeway, and swaths of San Francisco.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
8 June 2025
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The cuts will disrupt ongoing research, ruin experiments and datasets, destroy the careers of aspiring scientists, and deter long-term investments at universities across the country.—
Michael T. Nietzel,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
Verb
-
There was one final thing that left St John perplexed.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
11 May 2025
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The results achieved statistical significance in one part of the analysis but not in others, perplexing outside experts.—
Brenda Goodman,
CNN,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The 2025 Tribeca Film Festival, running through June 15, has centered music-heavy programming with premieres from artists including Billy Joel, Miley Cyrus, Turnstile and Depeche Mode — further blurring the line between musicians’ stagewear and red carpet fashion.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
7 June 2025
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Airstream In place of common overhead cabinetry, Airstream further blurs the delineation between indoors and out with long, narrow upper windows above the primary window line.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
7 June 2025
Verb
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In any other circumstance, I would have been flustered, embarrassed, and ready to drag her out of there and straight into a time-out.—
Staff Author,
Parents,
5 May 2025
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Midway through Donald Trump‘s 100-day interview with ABC’s Terry Moran, the president got flustered.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Confuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confuse. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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