confused 1 of 2

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confused

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verb

past tense of confuse
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as in mistook
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

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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
Read Next National 15-year-old cat left ‘confused’ after being surrendered to shelter. Tj MacIas, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2025 Patrick Schwarzenegger on 'White Lotus' Season 3 breakout After the brotherly kiss, Saxon's utterly confused and horrified expression is just the beginning. Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2025
Verb
However, the Madea star said his science teacher then asked him about dissecting the animal, which confused a young Perry. Nicholas Rice, People.com, 8 Dec. 2024 Meanwhile, the state’s agriculture department, which had been routinely testing Raw Farm milk products kept getting negative results — leaving infectious disease experts confused. Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 29 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for confused
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confused
Adjective
  • Nearly two months have passed since a trade finalized the messy breakup between Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat, but the ugly ending to their time together will be a popular topic of conversation for the next few days.
    Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 23 Mar. 2025
  • And yet, something about Careless People—beyond the court order, the messy PR spectacle, and Wynn-Williams’s formidable storytelling abilities—feels urgent, even necessary right now.
    Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Spaun looked bewildered as Rory stalked past him toward the 17th green.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
  • The resulting bloodshed brings the pair of goofy gendarmes into bewildered action, as the Zero cavalry trots in on short-legged white horses and Jony, Line, Rudy, and the local One leader, Jane (Anamaria Vartolomei), deploy on their respective sides.
    Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Injuries, however, have disrupted Caruso’s plans.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2025
  • Flights in late afternoon are more likely to be disrupted.
    Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Carter arrives as a fumbling, awkward, lovable med student—the audience surrogate in the chaotic and intense environment of a fictional Chicago emergency ward.
    David Sims, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Social Security problems The chaotic situation around DOGE has raised concerns that federal programs such as Social Security that many Americans rely on could be impacted.
    Zac Anderson, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Case in point: his goal for Portugal Under-17s against Morocco in September 2023, a ludicrous solo effort that left a trail of dazed defenders scratching their heads and wondering what the hell had just happened.
    Jack Lang, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Sea lions and dolphins have been observed rigid with seizures, acting dazed and confused.
    Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The relationship quickly unearthed something that disturbed him.
    Joshua Kaplan, ProPublica, 4 Jan. 2025
  • Plants with vining stems or long tap roots can be difficult to transplant and other plants simply don’t like to have their roots disturbed after planting.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Stop Scripting Development Employees need to grow into opportunities, not be shuffled into roles.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
  • Analysts at Mizuho shuffled up its top picks in a note Monday.
    Jeff Marks, CNBC, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Who remembers the 2005 headline-making story of how Banksy snuck a painting into the Metropolitan Museum of Art disguised with a fake beard and trench coat, while two accomplices argued with a distracted security guard?
    The Editors of ARTnews, ARTnews.com, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Ivy seemed slightly distracted by Gable’s sudden appearance, which allowed Dakota Kai to open with a flurry of offense.
    Alfred Konuwa, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Confused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confused. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

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