- present participle of confuse.
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.
At first blush, the continued existence of the Ark Encounter and its host institution, the Creation Museum is confusing.
From Salon • Jul. 10, 2026
In practice, it was confusing and often chaotic.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026
For Iranians, the war has been profoundly confusing.
From BBC • Jul. 5, 2026
“It was confusing, because as the judge speaks, her microphone overpowers the translator on the video call,” Alberto said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026
Their conversation is confusing, but I can’t waste time now trying to determine what their bizarre words mean.
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
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.
