con·fuse (k n-fy z )v. con·fused, con·fus·ing, con·fus·es v.tr. 1. a. To cause to be unable to think with clarity or act with intelligence or understanding; throw off. b. To cause to feel embarrassment. 2. a. To mistake (for another): confused effusiveness with affection. b. To make opaque; blur: "The old labels ... confuse debate instead of clarifying it" (Christopher Lasch). c. To assemble without order or sense; jumble. 3. Archaic To bring to ruination. v.intr. To make something unclear or incomprehensible: a new tax code that only further confuses. [Middle English confusen, from Old French confus, perplexed, from Latin c  nf sus, past participle of cnfundere, to mix together; see confound.]con·fus a·ble adj.con·fus ing·ly adv.Synonyms: confuse, addle, befuddle, discombobulate, fuddle, muddle, throw These verbs mean to cause to be unclear in mind or intent: heavy traffic that confused the driver; problems that addle my brain; a question that befuddled even the professor; was discombobulated by all of the possibilities; a complex plot line that fuddled my comprehension; a student who was muddled by endless facts and figures; behavior that really threw me. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Adj. | 1. | confusable - so similar as to be easily identified for another thing; "potentially confusable senses of words"; "easily mistakable signals" similar - marked by correspondence or resemblance; "similar food at similar prices"; "problems similar to mine"; "they wore similar coats" |
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