confusing
confusing Lexical Profile
confusing Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Bewildering or perplexing; difficult to understand, follow, or make sense of because of a lack of clarity or order.
"The assembly instructions for the bookshelf were so confusing that it took us three hours to put it together."
• verb
To cause someone to become bewildered, perplexed, or unable to think clearly (present participle of 'confuse').
"The sudden change in the bus schedule is confusing many daily commuters."
To mistake one person or thing for another; to fail to distinguish between two different things (present participle of 'confuse').
"Tourists are often confusing the capital city of Australia with Sydney."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'confusing' with 'confused': 'confusing' describes the thing or situation that causes bewilderment (e.g., 'a confusing map'), whereas 'confused' describes the person experiencing that mental state (e.g., 'a confused traveler').
• Rhymes for confusing
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived as the participial adjective of 'confuse', which entered Middle English via Old French from the Latin 'confusus', the past participle of 'confundere' meaning 'to pour together' or 'mingle'.