confuse

confuse
I
(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)
v. t. perplex, confound, disconcert; embroil, muddle; abash, embarrass. See disorder, humility, unintelligibility.
II
(Roget's IV) v.
Syn. puzzle, perplex, bewilder, confound, nonplus, disconcert, abash, fluster, discompose, flurry, dumbfound, upset, befuddle, baffle, mislead, misinform, embarrass, daze, astonish, disarrange, disorder, jumble, mix up, garble, scramble, blend, mix, mingle, cloud, becloud, fog, stir up, agitate, bedevil, worry, trouble, snarl, unsettle, disorient, muddle, clutter, darken, addle, discomfit, fuddle, complicate, involve, rattle, unhinge, derange, frustrate, perturb, dismay, faze, distract, entangle, encumber, befog, obscure, obfuscate, mystify, lead astray, addle the wits, embroil, render uncertain, make a hash of*, make a mess of*, throw off*, throw off the scent*, foul up*, ball up*, cross up*, put at a loss*, stump*, make one's head swim*, flummox*, throw*, discombobulate*; see also disturb 2 , hide 1 , tangle .
Ant. clear*, clarify, untangle.
Syn.- confuse implies a mixing up mentally to a greater or lesser degree; confound implies such confusion as completely frustrates or greatly astonishes one; puzzle implies that one has Great difficulty in understanding or solving something, as a situation or problem, because of its intricacy or baffling quality; perplex , in addition, implies uncertainty or even worry as to what to think, say, or do; bewilder implies such utter confusion that the mind is staggered beyond the ability to think clearly; nonplus implies such perplexity or confusion that one is utterly incapable of speaking, acting, or thinking further; dumbfound specifically implies as its effect a nonplused or confounded state in which one is momentarily struck speechless
III
(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) v.
1. bewilder mix up, perplex, throw off, baffle, mystify, muddle, bemuse, puzzle, confound.
2. disorder jumble, mix up, mess up, disarrange, discombobulate, disarray, *foul up, mingle, blend.
ANT.: 1. clarify, explain. 2. straighten, order
IV
(Roget's Thesaurus II) verb 1. To cause to be unclear in mind or intent: addle, befuddle, bewilder, confound, discombobulate, dizzy, fuddle, jumble, mix up, muddle, mystify, perplex, puzzle. Informal: throw. Idiom: make one's head reel (or swim or whirl). See CLEAR, FEELINGS. 2. To cause (a person) to be self-consciously distressed: abash, chagrin, confound, discomfit, discomfort, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, mortify. Idioms: put on the spot, throw for a loop. See PAIN. 3. To take (one thing) mistakenly for another: confound, mistake, mix up. See CORRECT. 4. To put into total disorder: ball up, disorder, jumble, mess up, muddle, scramble, snarl2. Slang: snafu. Idiom: play havoc with. See ORDER.

English dictionary for students. 2013.

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  • Confuse — Con*fuse , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Confused}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Confusing}.] 1. To mix or blend so that things can not be distinguished; to jumble together; to confound; to render indistinct or obscure; as, to confuse accounts; to confuse one s… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • confuse — 1 Confuse, muddle, addle, fuddle, befuddle mean to throw one out mentally so that one cannot think clearly or act intelligently. Confuse usually implies intense embarrassment or bewilderment {you confuse me, and how can I transact business if I… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • confuse — I (bewilder) verb abash, addle, astonish, baffle, befog, befuddle, bemuddle, confound, confundere, daze, discompose, disconcert, distract, embarrass, flurry, fluster, fog, jumble, mislead, mix up, muddle, mystify, nonplus, obfuscate, permiscere,… …   Law dictionary

  • confuse — [v1] bewilder someone abash, addle, amaze, astonish, baffle, becloud, bedevil, befuddle, bemuse, cloud, clutter, complicate, confound, darken, daze, demoralize, discomfit, discompose, disconcert, discountenance, disorient, distract, embarrass,… …   New thesaurus

  • Confuse — Con*fuse , a. [F. confus, L. confusus, p. p. of confundere. See {Confound}.] Mixed; confounded. [Obs.] Baret. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • confuse — 1550s, in literal sense mix or mingle things so as to render the elements indistinguishable; attested from mid 18c. in active, figurative sense of discomfit in mind or feeling; not in general use until 19c., taking over senses formerly belonging… …   Etymology dictionary

  • confuse — ► VERB 1) make bewildered or perplexed. 2) make less easy to understand. 3) mistake (one for another). DERIVATIVES confusable adjective. ORIGIN from Latin confusus, from confundere mix up …   English terms dictionary

  • confuse — [kən fyo͞oz′] vt. confused, confusing [ME confusen < confus, perplexed < OFr < L confusus, pp. of confundere: see CONFOUND] 1. to mix up; jumble together; put into disorder 2. to mix up mentally; specif., a) to bewilder; perplex b) to… …   English World dictionary

  • confuse */*/ — UK [kənˈfjuːz] / US [kənˈfjuz] verb [transitive] Word forms confuse : present tense I/you/we/they confuse he/she/it confuses present participle confusing past tense confused past participle confused 1) to make someone feel that they do not… …   English dictionary

  • confuse — confusable, adj. confusability, n. confusably, adv. confusedly /keuhn fyooh zid lee, fyoohzd /, adv. confusedness, n. /keuhn fyoohz /, v.t., confused, confusing. 1. to pe …   Universalium

  • confuse — 01. Everyone [confuses] me for my sister because we look so much alike. 02. Some of the questions on the test were really [confusing] for me. 03. Some of the questions on the test really [confused] me. 04. I always get [confused] between the past …   Grammatical examples in English

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