confuse

[ kuhn-fyooz ]

verb (used with object)

, con·fused, con·fus·ing.

1. to perplex or bewilder:

   The flood of questions confused me.

   Synonyms: nonplus, mystify

2. to make unclear or indistinct:

   The rumors and angry charges tended to confuse the issue.

3. to fail to distinguish between; associate by mistake; confound:

   to confuse dates;

   He always confuses the twins.

4. to disconcert or abash:

   His candor confused her.

   Synonyms: shame, mortify, embarrass

5. to combine without order; jumble; disorder:

   Try not to confuse the papers on the desk.

   Synonyms: disturb, disarrange, disarray

6. Archaic. to bring to ruin or naught.

confuse

/ kənˈfjuːz /

verb

1. to bewilder; perplex
2. to mix up (things, ideas, etc); jumble
3. to make unclear

   he confused his talk with irrelevant details

4. to fail to recognize the difference between; mistake (one thing) for another
5. to disconcert; embarrass
6. to cause to become disordered

   the enemy ranks were confused by gas

Derived Forms

• conˌfusaˈbility, noun
• conˈfusable, adjectivenoun

Other Words From

• con·fus·a·ble adjective
• con·fus·a·bil·i·ty [k, uh, n-fyoo-z, uh, -, bil, -i-tee], noun
• con·fus·a·bly adverb
• pre·con·fuse verb (used with object) preconfused preconfusing
• re·con·fuse verb (used with object) reconfused reconfusing
• un·con·fus·a·ble adjective
• un·con·fus·a·bly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of confuse¹

First recorded in 1300–50; from Old French confus “perplexed,” from Latin confūsus “mixed, poured,” past participle of confundere; confound

Word History and Origins

Origin of confuse¹

C18: back formation from confused, from Latin confūsus mingled together, from confundere to pour together; see confound

Synonym Study

Confuse, disconcert, embarrass imply temporary interference with the clear working of one's mind. To confuse is to produce a general bewilderment: to confuse someone by giving complicated directions. To disconcert is to disturb one's mind by irritation, perplexities, etc.: to disconcert someone by asking irrelevant questions. To embarrass is to cause one to be ill at ease or uncomfortable, so that one's usual judgment and presence of mind desert one: to embarrass someone by unexpected rudeness.

Example Sentences

One woman said people in Aleppo were “confused and scared” following the rebel takeover.

From BBC

People within the industry claim the changing target has sent out mixed messages and confused consumers, leading some people to delay buying an electric car until the situation becomes clearer.

From BBC

It added hoteliers were being are forced to comply with "confusing and disproportionate regulations" that go against other European directives related to data protection and payment systems.

From BBC

Meanwhile, the state’s agriculture department, which had been routinely testing Raw Farm milk products kept getting negative results — leaving infectious disease experts confused.

From Los Angeles Times

The move has reportedly left some committee members confused and full of concern.

From Salon

Related Words

• amaze
• astonish
• baffle
• befuddle
• bemuse
• complicate
• confound
• daze
• demoralize
• disconcert
• disorient
• distract
• embarrass
• fluster
• frustrate
• involve
• misinform
• mislead
• mortify
• muddle