confusing
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of confusing
Explanation
Something that's confusing doesn't make any sense — it perplexes you. A confusing, hand-drawn map might lead you in circles as you try to find your destination. It can be confusing to walk out of a dark movie theater into the bright sunlight, or to get a phone call from someone whose voice you don't recognize. Situations like this disorient you a little bit. Things that are difficult and complicated, like a really hard math test, can also be confusing. The adjective comes from confuse, which has a Latin root, confundere, "mingle together."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Book’s Books. Confusing, I know. Or is it handy? I can never decide.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026
Confusing the stock market with the real economy is the oldest analytical mistake in finance.
From Barron's • Dec. 5, 2025
Confusing language or time-consuming formats can make the process for appealing claim denials so complicated that policyholders just avoid it altogether, experts say.
From MarketWatch • Oct. 21, 2025
Despite rumours that she'd bring out a host of special guests, Lorde doesn't appear to duet on Girl, So Confusing, and Billie Eilish is missing from the number one smash, Guess.
From BBC • Jun. 28, 2025
Confusing 'cause Dean Moran's just not Spooks material.
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
