1
as in baffling
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
we were confounded by the player's remote control, which wasn't at all user-friendly
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in embarrassing
to throw into a state of self-conscious distress
his renewed popularity has confounded the critics who said his singing career was dead
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in confusing
to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related
I think you've confounded astrology with astronomy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in refuting
to prove to be false
new discoveries that confound much of what archaeologists thought they knew about the Mayan civilization
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in perplexing
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of confounding
Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024
Though none of that even scratches the surface of all the Jets’ confounding mental errors on Sunday.
—Zack Rosenblatt, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024
Are your former lovers dying in increasingly mysterious and confounding ways?
—Matt Minton, Variety, 20 Dec. 2024
Morris probed top executives for months about the rumor’s origins and received a confounding mix of finger-pointing and memory lapses, as detailed in a 1,100-page investigative case file reviewed by The Times.
—Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
All the while, his body betrays him in novel and confounding ways.
—Longreads, 18 Dec. 2024
In the 15 years since, mysteries have continued to surround their deaths — as has speculation about their former home's possible role in the confounding story, from reports of otherworldly encounters to rumors that something else within the house may have played a part.
—Mackenzie Schmidt, People.com, 15 Dec. 2024
Mysterious drones have been showing up in the skies above New Jersey and other states for weeks, confounding residents and prompting lawmakers to call for more answers as to what exactly is going on.
—Rebecca Cohen, NBC News, 14 Dec. 2024
Also confounding—especially given the three-screen display split between TVs hanging from the ceiling in an arrangement that evokes a sort of ghostly sports bar.
—Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
Brunson and Towns are confounding opposing defenses in two-man action, and this starting lineup can comfortably go five out to lengthen and distort the floor.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024
Though none of that even scratches the surface of all the Jets’ confounding mental errors on Sunday.
—Zack Rosenblatt, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024
Are your former lovers dying in increasingly mysterious and confounding ways?
—Matt Minton, Variety, 20 Dec. 2024
Morris probed top executives for months about the rumor’s origins and received a confounding mix of finger-pointing and memory lapses, as detailed in a 1,100-page investigative case file reviewed by The Times.
—Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
All the while, his body betrays him in novel and confounding ways.
—Longreads, 18 Dec. 2024
In the 15 years since, mysteries have continued to surround their deaths — as has speculation about their former home's possible role in the confounding story, from reports of otherworldly encounters to rumors that something else within the house may have played a part.
—Mackenzie Schmidt, People.com, 15 Dec. 2024
Mysterious drones have been showing up in the skies above New Jersey and other states for weeks, confounding residents and prompting lawmakers to call for more answers as to what exactly is going on.
—Rebecca Cohen, NBC News, 14 Dec. 2024
Also confounding—especially given the three-screen display split between TVs hanging from the ceiling in an arrangement that evokes a sort of ghostly sports bar.
—Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 13 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confounding
Verb
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Hall ended up refuting his own hypothesis.—
Dhruv Khullar,
The New Yorker,
6 Jan. 2025
-
Two people aim to jointly and with intensity deliberate with each other, testing each other, refuting each other at times, and otherwise pursuing an in-depth cross-examining dialogue.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
4 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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At least there’s still perplexing songs to listen to.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
23 July 2025
-
The accusations of bad faith are not only perplexing but inaccurate.—
The Daily News,
New York Daily News,
16 July 2025
Verb
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Researchers are particularly focused on unraveling the puzzling interplay between gas content, magma pressure and lava flow dynamics.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
3 Jan. 2025
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Almost two years into his ordeal, Gould learned of an initiative at the National Institutes of Health that focuses on solving the country’s most puzzling medical cases.—
Jason Liebowitz,
The Atlantic,
2 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265, which went on an historic two-and-a-half week strike in March after negotiations for a new contract broke down, had filed a petition with the Sixth District Court of Appeal on April 1, challenging the ruling of the Santa Clara County Superior Court.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
13 Apr. 2025
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Today big tech is aggressively challenging long-standing legal protections in copyright law, in intellectual property, fair data practices and data privacy protections.—
Hessie Jones,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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What makes this reversal not just baffling but dangerous is its context.—
Lynn Northcutt Vega,
Sun Sentinel,
29 July 2025
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Here’s the most baffling part of the Republican budget bill, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) writes in an op-ed for The Washington Post.—
Kristina Karisch,
The Hill,
22 July 2025
Verb
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The young actor has a disconcerting awareness of the roiling potential of his changing body.—
Doreen St. Félix,
The New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2025
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Even without Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota’s size remains disconcerting to the Nuggets, especially when Aaron Gordon is out.—
Bennett Durando,
The Denver Post,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Any company found to be frustrating the cancellation process could face significant fines—perhaps more than $50,000 per violation.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
31 July 2025
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Cook’s all-too-brief career is perhaps the most frustrating what-if in Cincinnati sports history.—
Jeff Suess,
The Enquirer,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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Much better to look forward with fresh hope to the next chapter of a bewildering career.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
2 Aug. 2025
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These employees performed a wide range of jobs, from safeguarding students' civil rights to helping borrowers navigate a bewildering federal student loan system.—
Cory Turner,
NPR,
1 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Confounding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confounding. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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