confusing 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of confusingnext
1
as in difficult

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2
as in perplexing

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confusing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of confuse
1
as in baffling
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty the similar-sounding words "censure" and "censor" often confuse people

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2
as in complicating
to make (something) unclear to the understanding stop confusing the issue with irrelevant facts

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3
as in mistaking
to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related a lot of people confuse popular fame with enduring achievement

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4
as in embarrassing
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 disrupting
to undo the proper order or arrangement of vandals had hopelessly confused the papers in the office files

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Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for confusing
  1. difficult
  2. perplexing
  3. disrupting
  4. troublesome
  5. baffling
  6. disconcerting
  7. disturbing
  8. unpleasant
Adjective
  • An at least 200-year-old celebration of French and Mediterranean cuisine, macarons are renowned as the ‘impossible dessert,’ a result of the notoriously involved and difficult baking process.
    Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
  • The manual entry of damage to structures like bridges used to be very expensive and time-consuming, a complex process made even more difficult by the fact that data entry and analysis are performed by both the agency’s own staff and external companies.
    Stephanie Glenk, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • The most perplexing and concerning part of it all: TomoBoost still appears to be accepting new customers, charging prices ranging from $8.33 a month to $129.99 a month, depending on the tier of service and whether you’re billed monthly or annually.
    Jeff Kauflin, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
  • Hunting History dives into some of American history’s greatest and most perplexing mysteries through a new lens.
    Peter White, Deadline, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of perplexing
Verb
  • Climate change exacerbates the threats with rising temperatures disrupting migration patterns and diminishing the availability of milkweed, the monarch caterpillar's essential food source.
    Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
  • The decision depends on whether their conflict is disrupting the workplace.
    Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
Definition of disrupting
Adjective
  • Nordic folklore features a similar narrative of Loki, a troublesome god, arriving as the 13th guest to a dinner party.
    Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 12 Dec. 2024
  • In some cases, managers didn’t bring up inappropriate or troublesome behaviors until these conversations.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 3 Dec. 2024
Definition of troublesome
Adjective
  • Every office is a microcosm of personalities, making the quest for the perfect gifts for coworkers exciting and baffling.
    Boutayna Chokrane, WIRED, 4 Dec. 2024
  • Marcus Maye, who was claimed off waivers from the Miami Dolphins last week, grabbed an interception in the end zone in the fourth quarter, helping erase a baffling fake punt that went awry from the Chargers’ 36-yard line.
    Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2024
Definition of baffling
Verb
  • Russia was becoming more closed, and this was disconcerting for a generation that had grown up in a modernized and relatively open society.
    Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2024
  • Calculations on how many homeowners are at risk and how many are covered vary, but all are disconcerting.
    Kate Gibson, CBS News, 4 Oct. 2024
Definition of disconcerting
Verb
  • Water from the bottom of the tray to avoid disturbing seeds.
    Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Dec. 2024
  • Samuel took this image from a distance and left quickly to avoid disturbing the bird.
    Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • The news, predictably, was unpleasant: the Olympic roster was about to leak, and Clark wasn’t on it.
    Sean Gregory, TIME, 10 Dec. 2024
  • Almost everyone is bitter, unpleasant, scheming, self-centered, manipulative or awful (or just plain crazy).
    Erik Kain, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
Definition of unpleasant
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near confusing

confuses

confusing

confusion

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Cite this Entry

“Confusing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confusing. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on confusing

Nglish: Translation of confusing for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of confusing for Arabic Speakers

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