confused 1 of 2

adjective

kən-ˈfyüzd How to pronounce confused (audio)
Definition of confusednext
1
as in messy
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness the cans were lying in a confused jumble in the basement

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2
as in bewildered
suffering from mental confusion she was briefly confused after her fall from the horse

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confused

2 of 2

verb

past tense of confuse
1
as in puzzled
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty the similar-sounding words "censure" and "censor" often confuse people

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2
as in complicated
to make (something) unclear to the understanding stop confusing the issue with irrelevant facts

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3
as in mistook
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 embarrassed
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 disrupted
to undo the proper order or arrangement of vandals had hopelessly confused the papers in the office files

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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 confused
Adjective
The Citi Field crowd seemed both confused and enthused when the opening notes of Jackson’s 1982 hit began to play. — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2026 In response to a cryptic message, Hal rockets to Rushville—literally, because his ring gives him the power of flight—arriving to a murder scene and leaving a confused John to follow by plane. — Judy Berman, Time, 14 Aug. 2026
Verb
While preparing to enter the state in February, Buc-ee's sued the northern Ohio holding company for Mickey Mart gas stations, arguing its Mickey the Moose logo could be confused with Buc-ee. — CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026 While preparing to enter the state in February, Buc-ee’s sued the northern Ohio holding company for Mickey Mart gas stations, arguing its Mickey the Moose logo could be confused with Buc-ee. — ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for confused
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confused
  1. messy
  2. bewildered
  3. puzzled
  4. complicated
  5. mistook
  6. embarrassed
  7. disrupted
  8. chaotic
Adjective
  • Led by Sreeti Mukerji and shaped by the creative vision of Alia and Shaheen Bhatt, ‘Don’t Be Shy’ is a joyful, heartfelt celebration of friendship, love, and the beautifully messy journey of growing up.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The real story is what happens to the other 20% — the cases that are messy, emotional, or high-stakes — when the routine volume stops eating up everyone’s day.
    — Rhett Power, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of messy
Adjective
  • That bewildered shake of the head after Meyer's pitch in that video is not a rare occurrence for Raleigh this year.
    — Eno Sarris, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • On Douban, a popular Chinese movie-review platform, viewers piled on with mocking and bewildered comments.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of bewildered
Verb
  • Just ask Australian break dancer Rachael Gunn, whose performance at the 2024 Olympics puzzled viewers the world over.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Three bears were taken, and, in keeping with the southern tradition of bear hunting, Roosevelt’s hosts were a bit puzzled by the president’s disappointment.
    — Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of puzzled
Verb
  • But the scientific evidence needed to rule out that connection could be complicated if the remains are damaged, said Miller.
    — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Officials say people evacuating should be prepared to stay away from home for several days, as unpredictable winds have complicated the fight to contain the blaze.
    — Maria Godoy, NPR, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of complicated
Verb
  • When one of the Fox sportscasters mistook Matt Damon for Brad Pitt, several news organizations mistakenly reported that Pitt was there.
    — Bobby Allyn, NPR, 13 Aug. 2026
  • In that are shades of Woodstock 1994, where Green Day and the crowd flung mud at each other, and Dirnt wound up getting his front teeth knocked out by a security guard who mistook him for a fan.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of mistook
Verb
  • One night earlier in the tour, a woman Usher had brought onstage rebuked him, which embarrassed him.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2026
  • This isn’t a hypercar to smash lap records around the Nürburgring, but nor will it be embarrassed by a Porsche 911 GT3 at a track day.
    — Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of embarrassed
Verb
  • Almost every country had reduced access to vaccines during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, when supply chains and clinic access were severely disrupted.
    — Kathryn H. Jacobsen, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Some of those domestic brands have also disrupted the broader industry, reset innovation cycles and launched price wars.
    — Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of disrupted
Adjective
  • The last time Harry Brook batted in a Test for England his performance was so chaotic, frenetic and, frankly, irresponsible that New Zealand’s players laughed at him.
    — Paul Newman, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • In terms of reaching frontline workers with the promises of AI, things are rather chaotic.
    — Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of chaotic

Browse Nearby Words

confuse
confused
confusedly
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Cite this Entry

“Confused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confused. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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