1
as in to bewilder
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
the similar-sounding words "censure" and "censor" often confuse people
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to complicate
to make (something) unclear to the understanding
stop confusing the issue with irrelevant facts
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to mistake
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 to embarrass
to throw into a state of self-conscious distress
she was confused by the shocking bluntness of his marriage proposal
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5
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
vandals had hopelessly confused the papers in the office files
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of confuse
The need at defensive tackle was glaring, and helping address that will be Davis — not to be confused with Kalia Davis, the 49ers’ third-year veteran who has played four games on the defensive interior.
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Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 5 Nov. 2024
Not to be confused with the Josh Hutcherson Saturday Night Live sketch that’s almost impossible to find online, the tragedy of Peanut, an Instagram-famous squirrel that was euthanized late last month, has sent the internet into mourning.
—Kate Lindsay, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024
Down clusters are three-dimensional spirals, not to be confused with feathers, which are flat, provide no loft, and poke through fabric.
—Marni Jameson, arkansasonline.com, 2 Nov. 2024
While the technical side of blockchain may still confuse most people, the concept of digital currency is mainstream.
—Lisa Loud, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for confuse 
Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 5 Nov. 2024
Not to be confused with the Josh Hutcherson Saturday Night Live sketch that’s almost impossible to find online, the tragedy of Peanut, an Instagram-famous squirrel that was euthanized late last month, has sent the internet into mourning.
—Kate Lindsay, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024
Down clusters are three-dimensional spirals, not to be confused with feathers, which are flat, provide no loft, and poke through fabric.
—Marni Jameson, arkansasonline.com, 2 Nov. 2024
While the technical side of blockchain may still confuse most people, the concept of digital currency is mainstream.
—Lisa Loud, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for confuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confuse
Verb
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Americans and Brits, being less royalist and more empirical in temperament, are bewildered by the general French understanding that the top thinker is supposed to be imperious and maximalist.Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024
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She remains moved by a frank conversation with a boat captain in Copenhagen who was bewildered about people in the US having registries for honeymoons and also births.Rosie Bell, WIRED, 22 Sep. 2024
Verb
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Geopolitical tensions and regulatory risks further complicate its expansion in the region.GuruFocus, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
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That’s a lot of change that could have complicated an already challenging situation.Adriana Lee, WWD, 26 Nov. 2024
Verb
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My favorite bit was Rajpal Yadav’s Chhote Pandit and Sanjay Mishra’s Bade Pandit mistaking Manjulika for the latter’s wife, Panditayeen, and asking her to make daal (lentils), only to get slapped hard by the ghost.Anupama Chopra, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Nov. 2024
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But there is no mistaking this as a reaction to the camp or thoughts of his grandmother; Majdanek only gave him a little shove.Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
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A number of studies have concluded that time on platforms like TikTok can lead to anxiety, depression and low self-esteem as kids get harassed or embarrassed online and compare their lives with the polished and carefully curated narratives crafted by others.Leslie Katz, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
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The flashback also goes to establish a new-to-us enemy, Detective Bishop, played by Mindhunter’s Holt McCallany, whom Haller embarrasses during a pivotal cross examination.Carita Rizzo, TVLine, 17 Oct. 2024
Verb
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In this gentle novel, an elderly widow finds her solitary routine disrupted by a mouse, setting off a sequence of events that reconnects with the larger world.Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
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Plans to position it as an awards-season contender were disrupted when Italy snubbed Oscar-winner Sorrentino and chose Maura Delpero’s Venice Silver Lion winner Vermiglio as its entry for best international feature.Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
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As a nearly life-long Democrat from a fifth-generation Kansas family farm, a family of Trump supporters, and married to a self-professed, ultra-MAGA Trumper, I’m perplexed.Ted Trimpa, The Denver Post, 12 Nov. 2024
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They were perplexed, but their relationship with their son was already rocky.Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2024
Verb
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While the script is blurred, there are circles and notes indicating edits.Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 18 Nov. 2024
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This also includes setting boundaries so that the lines are not blurred between work and your personal life.Rachel Wells, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Unexpected Praise Leaders can be flustered when given unsolicited compliments.Expert Panel®, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024
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The Wolfsburg goals rattled both centre-backs who were easily flustered by a high press that quickly intensified.Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic, 25 Aug. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Confuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confuse. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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