confusion
Americannoun
-
confusion
plural
-
the act of confusing.
-
the state of being confused.
- Synonyms:
- distraction
-
disorder; upheaval; tumult; chaos.
The army retreated in confusion.
-
lack of clearness or distinctness.
a confusion in his mind between right and wrong.
-
perplexity; bewilderment.
The more difficult questions left us in complete confusion.
-
embarrassment or abashment.
He blushed in confusion.
- Synonyms:
- mortification, shame
-
Psychiatry. a disturbed mental state; disorientation.
-
Archaic. defeat, overthrow, or ruin.
noun
-
the act of confusing or the state of being confused
-
disorder; jumble
-
bewilderment; perplexity
-
lack of clarity; indistinctness
-
embarrassment; abashment
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of confusion
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin confūsiōn-, stem of confūsiō “disorder, mixture,” literally “a mixing,” from confūs(us) “mixed” (past participle of cōnfundere; see confound) + -iō -ion
Explanation
If things are a little hazy and you're not quite sure what's going on, you're in a state of confusion. Confusion involves disorder, whether it's mixed up thoughts or plain old chaos. If everyone is screaming and running around, there's a lot of confusion. If you don't understand a math problem, you could be in a state of confusion. Mixing up two people who look alike is another type of confusion. If someone wants to make something very clear, they might say, "Let me clear up any confusion."
Vocabulary lists containing confusion
"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act IV
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet," Vocabulary from Act 4
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Part 1 Vocabulary (Unit 3)
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
“We are also mindful of the risk of investor confusion about AOI’s involvement in the offering, which we did not sponsor or endorse,” she said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Failing to consider this humdrum second category can create unnecessary confusion and aggravation.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
The first-of-its-kind research, published in the journal Nutrition Research, could also help consumers better understand the distinction between different types of trans fats and provide greater clarity around labeling policies that may contribute to confusion.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026
She says criminals know people will be searching for information online and expects there to be "attempts to exploit that confusion".
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
Theo’s face is a mixture of hurt and confusion.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
