confusing

American  

[kuhn-fyoo-zing] / kənˈfyu zɪŋ /

adjective

1. causing or tending to cause confusion.

   a confusing attempt at explanation.

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confusing British  

/ kənˈfjuːzɪŋ /

adjective

1. causing bewilderment; difficult to follow; puzzling

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Other Word Forms

• confusingly adverb
• confusingness noun
• unconfusing adjective

Etymology

Origin of confusing

First recorded in 1840–50; confuse + -ing ²

Explanation

Something that's confusing doesn't make any sense — it perplexes you. A confusing, hand-drawn map might lead you in circles as you try to find your destination. It can be confusing to walk out of a dark movie theater into the bright sunlight, or to get a phone call from someone whose voice you don't recognize. Situations like this disorient you a little bit. Things that are difficult and complicated, like a really hard math test, can also be confusing. The adjective comes from confuse, which has a Latin root, confundere, "mingle together."

Example Sentences

If you’re an astronomer, it’s people confusing what you do with astrology.

From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026

With so much spending on healthcare, older boomers—and their adult kids—expect better results and a less confusing, complicated and fragmented system.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

In trying to disassociate herself from the scandal, Melania’s lack of acknowledgment of her husband’s ties to Epstein stands out as a confusing, but increasingly familiar, bit of cognitive dissonance.

From Slate • Apr. 10, 2026

They love comparing notes about confusing passages or unexpected plot twists.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

After 1659 the English usually called this ‘the mechanical philosophy’, although Boyle was soon to introduce the much less confusing terms ‘the corpuscularian philosophy’ and ‘the corpuscular philosophy’.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

• baffling
• bewildering
• complex
• complicated
• confounding
• difficult
• disconcerting
• perplexing
• upsetting