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Synonyms

confusing

American  
[kuhn-fyoo-zing] / kənˈfyu zɪŋ /

adjective

  1. causing or tending to cause confusion.

    a confusing attempt at explanation.
confusing British  
/ kənˈfjuːzɪŋ /

adjective

  1. causing bewilderment; difficult to follow; puzzling

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • confusingly adverb
  • confusingness noun
  • unconfusing adjective

Etymology

Origin of confusing

First recorded in 1840–50; confuse + -ing 2

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."

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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.

In trying to disassociate herself from the scandal, Melania’s lack of acknowledgment of her husband’s ties to Epstein stands out as a confusing, but increasingly familiar, bit of cognitive dissonance.

From Slate • Apr. 10, 2026

Crypto’s confusing underperformance yet again begs the question: what is it good for?

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Residents are criticizing a state law that requires permits and fees for building projects near Joshua trees, saying it’s opaque, confusing and onerous for those who want to improve or even maintain their properties.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

England's friendly with Uruguay may not have been the most entertaining game, but it was certainly a bizarre and confusing one - for a number of reasons.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

He had never—in all his years of ushering—found a soul so confusing.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

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.