confusion

[kuhn-fyoo-zhuhn]

noun

1. the act of confusing. confusing.

2. the state of being confused.

   Synonyms: distraction

3. disorder; upheaval; tumult; chaos.

   The army retreated in confusion.

   Synonyms: disarray, mess, jumble, turmoil

4. lack of clearness or distinctness.

   a confusion in his mind between right and wrong.

5. perplexity; bewilderment.

   The more difficult questions left us in complete confusion.

6. embarrassment or abashment.

   He blushed in confusion.

   Synonyms: mortification, shame

7. Psychiatry.,  a disturbed mental state; disorientation.

8. Archaic.,  defeat, overthrow, or ruin.

confusion

/ kənˈfjuːʒən /

noun

1. the act of confusing or the state of being confused

2. disorder; jumble

3. bewilderment; perplexity

4. lack of clarity; indistinctness

5. embarrassment; abashment

Other Word Forms

• confusional adjective
• preconfusion noun
• reconfusion noun
• superconfusion noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of confusion¹

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; confound ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

The vote is suppressed by confusion, chaos and the velvet glove, because of course it’s reasonable to want to know the truth before we move forward.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Only, to everyone’s confusion, the officials ruled that Hurts’s forward progress had been stopped before the fumble—thereby ending the play and nullifying the fumble.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Even with increasing protections for celebrity likenesses, critics warn that the casual “likeness appropriation” of any common person or situation could lead to public confusion, enhance misinformation and erode public trust.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The confusion, uncertainty and difficulty he’s created for small businesses and farms is palpable.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Written and recorded in just 10 days, it's a real-time account of her shock, grief, confusion and anger, as her four-year marriage to actor David Harbour fell apart, amid accusations of infidelity.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• anarchy 
• chaos 
• complexity 
• complication 
• consternation 
• difficulty 
• disarray 
• dislocation 
• distraction 
• mistake 
• trouble 
• turmoil 
• upheaval