English Explanatory Dictionary

confuse

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. to puzzle, perplex, baffle, bewilder (somebody); to afflict by being complicated, contradictory, or otherwise difficult to understand
  2. To mix up, muddle up (one thing with another); to mistake (one thing for another).
  3. To mix thoroughly; to confound; to disorder.
  4. To make uneasy and ashamed; to embarrass.
  5. To rout; discomfit.
  6. To be confused.
adj
  1. Synonym of confused.

Pronunciation

/kənˈfjuːz/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-confuse.wav

Word forms

confuse confuses confusing confused more confuse most confuse

Etymology

Back-formation from confused, from Middle English confused (“frustrated, ruined”), from Anglo-Norman confus, from Latin cōnfūsus, past participle of cōnfundō.

Synonyms

flummox mistake addle baffle lose embroil stick stump baffound bamboozle bedevil befuddle throw bemud bemuse bewilder bumfuzzle complicate confound confuddle confuse confuzzle dazzle discombobulate disconcert blind dumbfound entangle ferhoodle flabagast flabbergast flabbergaster flurry fluster fuddle jumble knot mix up muddle muddy ravel perplex puzzle confused

Antonyms

clarify distinguish enlighten inspire judicate mediate organize organise reconcile stabilize

Related words

confused confusing confusion discombobulate blur conflate leave speechless throw somebody for a loop throw somebody a curve be at a loss for words to get turned around get one's wires crossed have one's wires crossed surprise surprising

Derived words

confuddle confusability confusable confusement confuser confusible confusopoly confuzzle coonfuse deconfuse reconfuse unconfuse confusely

Translations

Arabic: أَرْبَكَ Arabic: حَيَّرَ Azerbaijani: çaşdırmaq Azerbaijani: çaş-baş etmək Azerbaijani: karıxdırmaq Bulgarian: обърквам Bulgarian: смущавам Catalan: confondre Chinese Mandarin: 讓……困惑 /让……困惑 Czech: zmást Danish: forvirre Dutch: verwarren Dutch: in de war brengen Dutch: verbijsteren Esperanto: konfuzi Finnish: sekoittaa Finnish: saada ymmälleen Finnish: hämätä French: rendre perplexe French: confondre French: confuser French: confusionner Georgian: დაბნევა German: verwirren German: konfundieren Greek: μπερδεύω Greek: σαστίζω Hebrew: בלבל Hungarian: összezavar Italian: confondere Japanese: 混乱させる Korean: 혼란시키다 Macedonian: буни Māori: whakapōraru Māori: whakapōkīkī Norwegian: forvirre Old English: dwilman Polish: zmieszać Portuguese: confundir Quechua: arwiy Romanian: încurca Russian: пу́тать Russian: запу́тать Scottish Gaelic: cuir tro-chèile Sikkimese: དཀྲུགས Spanish: confundir Spanish: barahustar Spanish: barajustar Spanish: baraustar Swedish: förvirra Swedish: förväxla Yiddish: צעמישן
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