confounded
Americanadjective
-
damned (used euphemistically).
That is a confounded lie.
- Synonyms:
- objectionable, execrable, damnable
adjective
-
bewildered; confused
-
informal (prenominal) execrable; damned
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of confounded
First recorded in Middle English; see origin at confound, -ed 2
Explanation
When you're confounded, you are confused. A confounded student might struggle with one question on a math test for twenty minutes. If a bird flies into your house through an open window and flaps around in a befuddled panic, it's confounded. A confounded taxi driver might take you in circles around your destination, and a confounded American might find himself unable to communicate with French waiters in Paris. Another, more British way to use the adjective confounded is as a mild oath, to emphasize annoyance: "I can't take any more of your confounded noise!"
Vocabulary lists containing confounded
In a Pickle: Words for When You're in Trouble
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The Crucible
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"Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare, Act III
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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.
The East Yorkshire side have confounded expectations, a transfer embargo, and the off-field drama surrounding Southampton and Spygate, to secure a remarkable promotion.
From BBC • May 23, 2026
Buchalter is a bit confounded by the sluggishness of Nvidia’s stock recently, as software stocks have slumped.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 26, 2026
Those experiences helped pave the way for Coinbase, which set about to solve a problem that confounded those eager to invest in cryptocurrencies: There was no place for people to store their digital assets.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026
As I reported earlier, however, their efforts to tell it like it is were confounded by their own ignorance.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2026
She had no time to fool with Fern, but Fern stamped her foot, confounded by the effort it took to get Big Ma near the chicken run.
From "Gone Crazy in Alabama" by Rita Williams-Garcia
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.
