Confuses — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /kən-ˈfyüz/ con·fuse

Meaning & Definition of Confuses

Confuses (verb)

  1. to disturb in mind or purpose, throw off
  2. to make indistinct, blur
  3. to fail to differentiate from an often similar or related other

Confuses (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to throw into a state of mental uncertainty

    "the similar-sounding words censure and censor often confuse people"

    similar: addles, baffles, bamboozles, beats, befogs, befuddles, bemuses, bewilders, buffaloes, confounds, discombobulates, disorients, flummoxes, foxes, fuddles, gets, gravels, mazes, muddies, muddles, mystifies, perplexes, poses, puzzles, vexes, blows one's mind, goes to one's head
    related: sticks, stumps, weirds out, abashes, discomfits, disconcerts, discountenances, embarrasses, fazes, flusters, mortifies, nonpluses, rattles, agitates, bothers, chagrins, discomforts, discomposes, dismays, disquiets, distresses, disturbs, perturbs, stuns, unhinges, unsettles, upsets, beguiles, cozens, deceives, deludes, dupes, fools, gulls, hoaxes, hoodwinks, humbugs, misguides, misleads, snows, strings along, takes in, tricks
    near: assures, reassures, satisfies, enlightens, informs

  2. to make (something) unclear to the understanding

    "stop confusing the issue with irrelevant facts"

    similar: beclouds, befogs, blurs, clouds, fogs, muddies, obfuscates
    related: complicates, perplexes, sophisticates, entangles, snarls, tangles, disarranges, disarrays, discomposes, dishevels, disorders, disrupts, disturbs, jumbles, messes (up), mixes (up), muddles, scrambles, shuffles, tousles, upsets
    opposite: clarifies, clears (up), illuminates
    near: simplifies, streamlines, disentangles, straightens (out), undoes, unravels, unscrambles, untangles, deciphers, decodes, analyzes, breaks down

  3. to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related

    "a lot of people confuse popular fame with enduring achievement"

    similar: conflates, confounds, mistakes, mixes (up)
    related: lumps (together), misapplies, miscalls, misidentifies, misnames
    opposite: differences, differentiates, discriminates, distinguishes, separates

  4. to throw into a state of self-conscious distress

    "she was confused by the shocking bluntness of his marriage proposal"

    similar: abashes, confounds, discomfits, disconcerts, discountenances, embarrasses, fazes, flusters, mortifies, nonpluses, rattles
    related: agitates, bothers, chagrins, discomforts, discomposes, dismays, disquiets, distresses, disturbs, perturbs, puts off, puts out, unhinges, unsettles, upsets, debases, degrades, demeans, humbles, humiliates, queers, shames
    near: calms, comforts, consoles, relieves, soothes, buoys, cheers, emboldens, encourages, heartens, assures, reassures

  5. to undo the proper order or arrangement of

    "vandals had hopelessly confused the papers in the office files"

    similar: deranges, disarranges, disarrays, discomposes, dishevels, disjoints, dislocates, disorders, disorganizes, disrupts, disturbs, hashes, jumbles, messes (up), mixes (up), muddles, musses, rumples, scrambles, shuffles, tousles, tumbles, upsets
    related: embroils, entangles, snarls, tangles, agitates, perturbs, stirs (up), unsettles, clutters
    opposite: arranges, arrays, disposes, draws up, marshals, orders, organizes, ranges, regulates, straightens (up), tidies
    near: aligns, lines, lines up, queues, classifies, codifies, methodizes, systematizes, systemizes, adjusts, fixes, grooms, makes up, spruces (up), unscrambles

Related Entry: Confuse (verb)

Confuse is a different word from Confuses. The synonyms below are for confuse, not for confuses.

  1. to throw into a state of mental uncertainty

    "the similar-sounding words censure and censor often confuse people"

    similar: addle, baffle, bamboozle, beat, befog, befuddle, bemuse, bewilder, buffalo, confound, discombobulate, disorient, flummox, fox, fuddle, get, gravel, maze, muddle, muddy, mystify, perplex, pose, puzzle, vex, blow one's mind, go to one's head
    related: stick, stump, weird out, abash, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, mortify, nonplus, rattle, agitate, bother, chagrin, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distress, disturb, perturb, stun, unhinge, unsettle, upset, beguile, cozen, deceive, delude, dupe, fool, gull, hoax, hoodwink, humbug, misguide, mislead, snow, string along, take in, trick
    near: assure, reassure, satisfy, enlighten, inform

  2. to make (something) unclear to the understanding

    "stop confusing the issue with irrelevant facts"

    similar: becloud, befog, blur, cloud, fog, muddy, obfuscate
    related: complicate, perplex, sophisticate, entangle, snarl, tangle, disarrange, disarray, discompose, dishevel, disorder, disrupt, disturb, jumble, mess (up), mix (up), muddle, scramble, shuffle, tousle, upset
    opposite: clarify, clear (up), illuminate
    near: simplify, streamline, disentangle, straighten (out), undo, unravel, unscramble, untangle, decipher, decode, analyze, break down

  3. to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related

    "a lot of people confuse popular fame with enduring achievement"

    similar: conflate, confound, mistake, mix (up)
    related: lump (together), misapply, miscall, misidentify, misname
    opposite: difference, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, separate

  4. to throw into a state of self-conscious distress

    "she was confused by the shocking bluntness of his marriage proposal"

    similar: abash, confound, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, mortify, nonplus, rattle
    related: agitate, bother, chagrin, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distress, disturb, perturb, put off, put out, unhinge, unsettle, upset, debase, degrade, demean, humble, humiliate, queer, shame
    near: calm, comfort, console, relieve, soothe, buoy, cheer, embolden, encourage, hearten, assure, reassure

  5. to undo the proper order or arrangement of

    "vandals had hopelessly confused the papers in the office files"

    similar: derange, disarrange, disarray, discompose, dishevel, disjoint, dislocate, disorder, disorganize, disrupt, disturb, hash, jumble, mess (up), mix (up), muddle, muss, rumple, scramble, shuffle, tousle, tumble, upset
    related: embroil, entangle, snarl, tangle, agitate, perturb, stir (up), unsettle, clutter
    opposite: arrange, array, dispose, draw up, marshal, order, organize, range, regulate, straighten (up), tidy
    near: align, line, line up, queue, classify, codify, methodize, systematize, systemize, adjust, fix, groom, make up, spruce (up), unscramble

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Confuses

The most common words with a similar meaning to Confuses:

addles, baffles, bamboozles, beats, befogs, befuddles, bemuses, bewilders, buffaloes, confounds, discombobulates, disorients, flummoxes, foxes, fuddles, gets, gravels, mazes, muddies, muddles, mystifies, perplexes, poses, puzzles, vexes, beclouds, blurs, clouds, fogs, obfuscates, conflates, mistakes, mixes (up), abashes, discomfits, disconcerts, discountenances, embarrasses, fazes, flusters

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Confuses

Words with the opposite meaning of Confuses:

clarifies, clears (up), illuminates, differences, differentiates, discriminates, distinguishes, separates, arranges, arrays, disposes, draws up, marshals, orders, organizes, ranges, regulates, straightens (up), tidies

Related Words for Confuses

sticks, stumps, weirds out, agitates, bothers, chagrins, discomforts, dismays, disquiets, distresses, perturbs, stuns, unhinges, unsettles, beguiles, cozens, deceives, deludes, dupes, fools, gulls, hoaxes, hoodwinks, humbugs, misguides, misleads, snows, strings along, takes in, tricks

Near Antonyms of Confuses

assures, reassures, satisfies, enlightens, informs, simplifies, streamlines, disentangles, straightens (out), undoes, unravels, unscrambles, untangles, deciphers, decodes, analyzes, breaks down, calms, comforts, consoles, relieves, soothes, buoys, cheers, emboldens, encourages, heartens, aligns, lines, lines up

Word Forms of Confuses

Inflections: confused, confusing

Derived words: confusingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Confuses

Middle English confusen, back-formation from confused "frustrated, ruined," participle based on Anglo-French confus, borrowed from Latin confūsus, past participle of confundere "to pour together, blend, bring into disorder, destroy, disconcert" confound

First known use: 14th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Confuses

What does "Confuses" mean?

"Confuses" means to disturb in mind or purpose, throw off. As a verb, it is defined as: to disturb in mind or purpose, throw off. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Confuses"?

Other words for "Confuses" include addles, baffles, bamboozles, beats, befogs, befuddles, bemuses and bewilders. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Confuses" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Confuses"?

There are 118 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Confuses". Common alternatives include addles, baffles, bamboozles, beats, befogs, befuddles, bemuses, bewilders, buffaloes and confounds.

What is the opposite of "Confuses"?

Antonyms of "Confuses" include clarifies, clears (up), illuminates, differences, differentiates, discriminates, distinguishes and separates. Near antonyms include assures, reassures, satisfies and enlightens.

How do you use "Confuses" in a sentence?

Examples of "Confuses" in a sentence: "the similar-sounding words censure and censor often confuse people"; "stop confusing the issue with irrelevant facts"; "a lot of people confuse popular fame with enduring achievement".

Is "Confuses" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Confuses" is a verb.

How do you pronounce "Confuses"?

"Confuses" is pronounced /kən-ˈfyüz/ and divided into syllables as con·fuse.

What is the origin of the word "Confuses"?

"Confuses" comes from Middle English confusen, back-formation from confused "frustrated, ruined," participle based on Anglo-French confus, borrowed from Latin confūsus, past participle of confundere "to pour together, blend, bring into disorder, destroy, disconcert" confound. First known use: 14th century.