confusion

noun

kən-ˈfyü-zhən How to pronounce confusion (audio)
Definition of confusionnext
1
as in fog
a state of mental uncertainty the farmer's driving directions to the fairground just left us in total confusion

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2
as in havoc
a state in which everything is out of order it was hard to find anything in that confusion in the attic

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3
as in embarrassment
the emotional state of being made self-consciously uncomfortable thrown into speechless confusion by the wild accusations

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of confusion Mamdani also urged New Yorkers to watch for symptoms of heat stroke, including confusion, dizziness, nausea and trouble breathing, and to call 911 immediately if someone experiences those symptoms. — Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026 The pre-evacuation warning caused some confusion when it was shared by the app Watch Duty on Friday night, Lake County Sheriff Heath Speckman said on Saturday morning. — Katie Langford, Denver Post, 4 July 2026 Even though talks with the Boston Red Sox at last year’s deadline never got close, the confusion provided by an incorrect tweet announcing Ryan’s trade to New England put the pitcher at the top of every trade list before the season even began. — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 6 July 2026 The confusion surrounding the duke's accommodation comes after a representative for Harry confirmed to USA TODAY on Saturday, July 4 that Harry, 41, will no longer bring Duchess Meghan, 44, and their children to London. — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for confusion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confusion
  1. fog
  2. havoc
  3. embarrassment
  4. tangle
  5. chaos
  6. unease
  7. perplexity
  8. jumble
Noun
  • When Ian Happ made the final out of the frame, the umpires convened and called a delay, a rare stoppage because of the fog-shrouded Wrigley Field.
    — Andy Martinez, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • Dense fog shrouded the Golden Gate Bridge and masked the city's fireworks display.
    — Bart Jansen, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Definition of fog
Noun
  • The beloved southern elephant seal, Neil the Seal, is back in Tasmania, causing havoc yet again and garnering fans through his antics.
    — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • Those same issues have ships and planes on high alert in the Middle East, and the ongoing conflict across the region is causing havoc for civilian applications like ride-hailing and food delivery.
    — Mariam Sorond, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of havoc
Noun
  • Goalkeeper Matt Freese’s costly blunder in the 57th minute was an embarrassment that gifted the Belgians a third goal to all but seal the elimination loss.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 July 2026
  • Either way, the development is a public embarrassment for Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek, whose antagonistic, foot-dragging attitude in negotiations with his young core finally cost him dearly.
    — Greg Beacham, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of embarrassment
Noun
  • They’re immediately pulled into a tangle of police reports, hospital notifications, insurance calls, and legal questions that can feel impossible to sort through while grieving.
    — William Jones, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 June 2026
  • Richie Laryea for Canada burst into the box in a good position but was brought to ground amid a tangle of legs with South Africa’s Khuliso Mudau.
    — Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 28 June 2026
Definition of tangle
Noun
  • Summer uses a family trip to a Caribbean resort to cause chaos and sabotage the relationship.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • But lately, the chaos in the United States made the song seem regrettably apropos.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Definition of chaos
Noun
  • To convey the family’s internal unease, Cárdenas landed on a number of devices that were subtle but significant in terms of changing the optics of the series.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 3 July 2026
  • Declassified British documents from the 1960s revealed government unease over the presence of the micronation, as well as eventually shelved plans to bomb it.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 June 2026
Definition of unease
Noun
  • The first weeks were a roller coaster of pleasure and perplexity.
    — Tim Parks, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2026
  • Oklo exemplifies both the promise and the perplexity associated with the rebirth of nuclear power.
    — Bob Woods, CNBC, 9 Nov. 2025
Definition of perplexity
Noun
  • Arches and natural bridges sweep like buttresses from jumbles of rock, giving this landscape a mystical, cathedral-like quality.
    — Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.
    — Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of jumble

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Cite this Entry

“Confusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confusion. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on confusion

Nglish: Translation of confusion for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about confusion

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