1
as in messy
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness
the cans were lying in a confused jumble in the basement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bewildered
suffering from mental confusion
she was briefly confused after her fall from the horse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in puzzled
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
the similar-sounding words "censure" and "censor" often confuse people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in complicated
to make (something) unclear to the understanding
stop confusing the issue with irrelevant facts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
4
as in embarrassed
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 disrupted
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 confused
Danielle J. Brown, Baltimore Sun, 22 Mar. 2026
While 2026 is America’s 250th birthday, Chicago’s City Hall could not be more confused about what to do.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Elizabeth Chuck, NBC news, 23 Mar. 2026
The verified account, @realanndowd (not to be confused with Bald Ann Dowd), made its first post on March 18 — finally ending the torturous 5,642-day dry spell of there being no Ann Dowd on the app.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for confused
Adjective
Similar safety risks also affect people with dementia, who may become confused or frightened and leave without warning.
—Danielle J. Brown, Baltimore Sun, 22 Mar. 2026
While 2026 is America’s 250th birthday, Chicago’s City Hall could not be more confused about what to do.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Verb
After the crash, passengers were confused and screaming in panic, Liquori said.
—Elizabeth Chuck, NBC news, 23 Mar. 2026
The verified account, @realanndowd (not to be confused with Bald Ann Dowd), made its first post on March 18 — finally ending the torturous 5,642-day dry spell of there being no Ann Dowd on the app.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for confused
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confused
Adjective
-
Beyond the hardware, it’s packed with AI features like Circle to Search for instant lookups and Handwriting Assist to tidy up your messy notes, all backed by a 20-hour battery that lasts well beyond the standard workday.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Things with Turner got messy quickly with custody issues rearing their head, but seemed to have settled down now.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
There was no punchline, no twist — just the straightforward, slightly bewildered observation that someone, somewhere, had performed surgery on a grape.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Exasperated, bewildered, and realizing other musicians were also dealing with this, Bender came up with a way to show just how porous the system was.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The remains of these unknown creatures often puzzled their discoverers.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
25 Mar. 2026
-
This has puzzled researchers because lithium metal is soft, while the ceramic electrolytes used in these batteries are rigid.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Israel’s assassination campaign sometimes complicated Chalker’s attempts to recruit defectors.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
That’s because the EV ownership affordability equation is complicated — starting with the price of the car itself.—
Personal Finance Columnist,
San Francisco Chronicle,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
An asteroid weighing about 7 tons and traveling at 45,000 miles per hour zoomed over multiple states and lit up the sky as a meteor Tuesday morning, causing a loud boom that some residents mistook for an explosion, officials said.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Cyber Ninjas sometimes mistook routine aspects of the election process as signs of wrongdoing.—
Jen Fifield,
ProPublica,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Former head coach Brian Daboll’s charge to the medical tent and behavior towards one of the Giants’ doctors also embarrassed the team.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Tonight’s ceremony had none of the major dramatic mishaps that have both embarrassed the Academy Awards’ organizers and affirmed the event’s status as must-see live TV.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The strikes temporarily disrupted the spacecraft’s electrical systems, but quick action by mission control kept the mission on track.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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But oil bound for Asia from this new exit point still has to pass through Bab el-Mandeb to avoid the long way around, meaning it could be disrupted.—
Flavio Macau,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The fan disappointment was echoed in the community dedicated to Barbie on Reddit, where many called out the organizers for such a chaotic event.—
Rebecca Cohen,
NBC news,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The footage captures a chaotic moment many pet owners recognize instantly—when curiosity tips over into trouble.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Confused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confused. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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