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
However, many in the unscripted business have been slightly confused by its strategy since Chris Castallo left the role of head of unscripted in 2023.
—
Peter White, Deadline, 22 May 2025
Computers can be programmed to recognize gravitational lensing, but the effects can be easily confused for galaxies that look similar to a distorted background galaxy.
—Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 22 May 2025
Save the Dunes now uses the Barker House – not to be confused with Barker Mansion – in Michigan City as its headquarters.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 18 May 2025
The change in style confused the Celtics in Games 1 and 2, which included a couple of 20-point Knicks comebacks.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for confuse
Peter White, Deadline, 22 May 2025
Computers can be programmed to recognize gravitational lensing, but the effects can be easily confused for galaxies that look similar to a distorted background galaxy.
—Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 22 May 2025
Save the Dunes now uses the Barker House – not to be confused with Barker Mansion – in Michigan City as its headquarters.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 18 May 2025
The change in style confused the Celtics in Games 1 and 2, which included a couple of 20-point Knicks comebacks.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for confuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confuse
Verb
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Babb acknowledged that the team was bewildered at the stunning turn of events.—
Edward Lee,
Baltimore Sun,
30 May 2025
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They were bewildered for me, and so was all the other staff.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
Verb
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One is the long-running foreclosure of 57-75 Pratt St. involving Shelbourne has complicated the leasing of prominent, vacant storefronts in those buildings.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
1 June 2025
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But Lijn’s mechanized drama is a resolutely feminist one, a face-off between two cyborgs who both conjure and complicate the archetypes of the nature goddess and the murderous woman.—
Marina Isgro,
Artforum,
1 June 2025
Verb
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What migrants mistake for a lighthouse offering safe haven may just be the mirage caused by the bollard keeping them out, period.—
Guy Martin,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
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Could the similarities confuse California residents who might mistake a sonic boom for an earthquake?—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
27 May 2025
Verb
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McGregor dismantled Aldo during the pre-fight lead-up and subsequently embarrassed him in 13 seconds at UFC 194 in 2015.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
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But Mei is convinced her overbearing mother only exists to embarrass while never understanding her struggles.—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal,
Parents,
8 May 2025
Verb
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What Could Move The Market? Several factors could disrupt the current market calm: European Tariff Deadline: President Trump has postponed the implementation of a 50% tariff on European Union goods to July 9, 2025.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
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An extended pause in scheduling student visas could lead to delays that may disrupt college, boarding-school or exchange students’ plans to enroll in summer and fall terms.—
Annie Ma,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2025
Verb
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Many observers were perplexed that an eighty-two-year-old man with virtually unlimited access to medical care—and about whose health there has been virtually unlimited conjecture—could have gone undiagnosed until the cancer threatened his life.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
22 May 2025
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Social-media users were undoubtedly perplexed by the bone discovery, leading to more than 860 comments on the Instagram video.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 May 2025
Verb
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Contemplating the issue from a more macro standpoint, AI is increasingly blurring the lines around what constitutes academic honesty.—
Michael Ashley,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
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Anyone moving from a smartphone up to the EOS 2000D will be amazed by the image quality and the ability to produce shots with beautiful bokeh (background blur).—
Rowena Cockett,
Space.com,
26 May 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 7 Jun. 2025.
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