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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

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.

And the information a patient gets through the NHS app can be confusing.

From BBC • May 13, 2026

Chicago had one of the most confusing offseasons in recent memory and it got even stranger in the week before the season when it released Van Lith and added Cloud.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

It made the whole situation a bit confusing.

From Slate • May 4, 2026

Since we are now in near-permanent chaos, that can be confusing.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026

But maybe also confusing, at least in Emily Dickinson’s case.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

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.