confuse

verb

kən-ˈfyüz How to pronounce confuse (audio)
Definition of confusenext
1
as in to bewilder
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty the similar-sounding words "censure" and "censor" often confuse people

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to complicate
to make (something) unclear to the understanding stop confusing the issue with irrelevant facts

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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

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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

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5
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of vandals had hopelessly confused the papers in the office files

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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 Jobs are down, but consumer sentiment—and the stock market—are up, leaving the retail sector to reckon with a host of seeming contradictions and confusing market signals. — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 7 Aug. 2026 Not to be confused with the fisherman aesthetic, what started as a playful nod to coastal living has quietly evolved into one of fashion’s most enduring novelty motifs. — Amanda Le, InStyle, 7 Aug. 2026 Decades out of practice, Saxberger is assailed by writer’s block and confused by the machinations of a modern-day publishing industry that wants to turn his rediscovery into a branding exercise. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026 In Paradise, for example, the wildfire blocked key evacuation routes, and a state report found residents were confused by the evacuation advisories. — Ashley Bosa, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for confuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confuse
  1. bewilder
  2. complicate
  3. mistake
  4. embarrass
  5. disrupt
  6. perplex
  7. blur
  8. fluster
Verb
  • The threats are constantly evolving, layering upon themselves with bewildering speed.
    — Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Republicans use metaphor to turn unpopular policies into perky catchphrases, leaving Democrats bewildered.
    — Richard Yanowitch, Mercury News, 29 July 2026
Definition of bewilder
Verb
  • The softening job market may complicate the calculation for the Federal Reserve, which is also battling stubborn inflation.
    — Scott Horsley, NPR, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The report complicates the outlook for the Federal Reserve, where policymakers are divided over the path for interest rates.
    — Yun Li,Sean Conlon,Hugh Leask, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of complicate
Verb
  • The death of a language is like that of square dancing, or of doing algebra by pencil and paper, and mistaking metaphor for reality is one of the surest routes to woolly thinking.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Christie Brinkley has fans mistaking her for one of her daughters in her recent Instagram post.
    — Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of mistake
Verb
  • Spreading a rumor or creating a fake account to embarrass someone can cause lasting harm.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The operation has brought a fuel crisis that is embarrassing the Kremlin.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of embarrass
Verb
  • Farage did not give a victory speech after declining to attend the declaration, claiming police had warned of a campaign to disrupt it.
    — Reagan Yip, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Costs had been on the decline since March 2025, following a massive outbreak of bird flu that disrupted the egg supply and sent retail prices soaring.
    — Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of disrupt
Verb
  • Gibson Nash, 21, was charged with first-degree murder after a series of perplexing events eventually led police to his mother’s bloodied body.
    — Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The Brazil midfielder has expressed a desire to join Arsenal, but Newcastle did not want to sell him this summer and have been perplexed by the lack of direct contact from the London club.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of perplex
Verb
  • Some diligently blur out the faces of guests who are in the vicinity and captured on camera.
    — Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Her new liquid foundation—the brand’s first—utilizes amino acid powders to blur and mattify the appearance of pores sans dryness for a finish that’s natural, skinlike, and exceptionally diffused.
    — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of blur
Verb
  • Saliba is rarely flustered, so to see his game affected as much as it was made an impression.
    — Art de Roché, New York Times, 17 July 2026
  • The Germans dominated the match after the break but struggled to break down Paraguay’s defense as the South Americans once again assumed the compact defending that had flustered Turkey and Australia in the opening group stage.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 29 June 2026
Definition of fluster

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confronts
confuse
confused
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Cite this Entry

“Confuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confuse. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of confuse for Spanish Speakers

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