confusion
Americannoun
-
confusion
plural
-
the act of confusing.
-
the state of being confused.
- Synonyms:
- distraction
-
disorder; upheaval; tumult; chaos.
The army retreated in confusion.
-
lack of clearness or distinctness.
a confusion in his mind between right and wrong.
-
perplexity; bewilderment.
The more difficult questions left us in complete confusion.
-
embarrassment or abashment.
He blushed in confusion.
- Synonyms:
- mortification, shame
-
Psychiatry. a disturbed mental state; disorientation.
-
Archaic. defeat, overthrow, or ruin.
noun
-
the act of confusing or the state of being confused
-
disorder; jumble
-
bewilderment; perplexity
-
lack of clarity; indistinctness
-
embarrassment; abashment
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of confusion
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin confūsiōn-, stem of confūsiō “disorder, mixture,” literally “a mixing,” from confūs(us) “mixed” (past participle of cōnfundere; see confound) + -iō -ion
Explanation
If things are a little hazy and you're not quite sure what's going on, you're in a state of confusion. Confusion involves disorder, whether it's mixed up thoughts or plain old chaos. If everyone is screaming and running around, there's a lot of confusion. If you don't understand a math problem, you could be in a state of confusion. Mixing up two people who look alike is another type of confusion. If someone wants to make something very clear, they might say, "Let me clear up any confusion."
Vocabulary lists containing confusion
"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act IV
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"The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet," Vocabulary from Act 4
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Part 1 Vocabulary (Unit 3)
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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.
"I think that there's a strategy to divide and conquer and to create a very contrived confusion," he argues.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
Yet the technology could also create more confusion for patients if it produces more information without a clear, accurate path forward, she cautioned.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
It is also a live demonstration of Dixon’s argument: When the rules change midstream, confusion does not merely accompany the process.
From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026
“The full fare advertising rule was intended to prevent consumer confusion or deception by advertisements of low base fares that did not reflect the total cost of air transportation,” the document said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Old Emma definitely would have liked it, I decided as I walked home, full of questions and confusion and, well, full of wonder.
From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney
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.
