- 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.
And in Mr. Barnett’s telling, we grown-ups frequently get it wrong, too often confusing a good lesson with a good story.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
If that sounds confusing, it’s because it is.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
It may seem confusing that exercise isn’t especially effective for losing weight but can help prevent regain.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 22, 2026
Now it’s just confusing, especially since Reubens is widely regarded as a comedy legend.
From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2026
This was much more confusing than the geometry she’d studied that morning, than all the stages of photosynthesis she’d memorized or the rise and fall of ancient civilizations she’d taken notes on.
From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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.
