confound
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to perplex or amaze, especially by a sudden disturbance or surprise; bewilder; confuse.
The complicated directions confounded him.
-
to throw into confusion or disorder.
The revolution confounded the people.
-
to throw into increased confusion or disorder.
-
to treat or regard erroneously as identical; mix or associate by mistake.
truth confounded with error.
-
to mingle so that the elements cannot be distinguished or separated.
-
to damn (used in mild imprecations).
Confound it!
-
to contradict or refute.
to confound their arguments.
-
to put to shame; abash.
-
Archaic.
-
to defeat or overthrow.
-
to bring to ruin or naught.
-
-
Obsolete. to spend uselessly; waste.
verb
-
to astound or perplex; bewilder
-
to mix up; confuse
-
to treat mistakenly as similar to or identical with (one or more other things)
-
to curse or damn (usually as an expletive in the phrase confound it! )
-
to contradict or refute (an argument, etc)
-
to rout or defeat (an enemy)
-
obsolete to waste
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
confoundsimple
-
confoundssimple
-
have confoundedperfect
-
has confoundedperfect
-
are confoundingprogressive
-
am confoundingprogressive
-
is confoundingprogressive
-
have been confoundingperfect progressive
-
has been confoundingperfect progressive
Past
-
confoundedsimple
-
had confoundedperfect
-
was confoundingprogressive
-
were confoundingprogressive
-
had been confoundingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of confound
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English conf(o)unden, from Anglo-French confoundre, from Latin confundere “to mix,” equivalent to con- con- + fundere “to pour”
Explanation
If you have an identical twin, you've probably tried dressing alike so that people confound you with, or mistake you for, one another. You've also probably learned that, unfortunately, this trick doesn’t work on your mom. The verb confound means both "to mistake" and "to confuse." If you decide to treat yourself to a delicious dessert, you might find yourself confounded by the overwhelming number of choices. If you end up ordering the chocolate cake but the waiter brings you chocolate mousse, the waiter has somehow confounded those two options. Another meaning you may come across in literature is "to damn," as in "Confound it! You are the most exasperating person on the planet."
Vocabulary lists containing confound
100 SAT words Beginning with "C"
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!
"Common Sense," Vocabulary from the pamphlet
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!
Common Sense
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.
Add to that complexities of water that confound searching, especially near the Arctic.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026
Eli Carter and Martin Tobias suggest that a reversion to negative equity- bond correlations could confound expectations in 2026.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 22, 2025
While the strikers can look frail, their willingness to suffer is meant to confound the state and emphasize their unshakeable commitment to a cause.
From Salon • May 1, 2025
A bold Aries woman like Selena seemed to confound Abraham, with his work ethic and headstrong personality.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2025
My breath has power, to confound and control.
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
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.
