adj · verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/kənˈfjuːzɪŋ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:K AH0 N F Y UW1 Z IH0 NG
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
difficult to understand; not clear as lacking order, chaotic, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Several sections in that book are really confusing.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
present participle and gerund of confuse
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adjective satellite
Meaning 3
lacking clarity of meaning; causing confusion or perplexity
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
sent confusing signals to Iraq
perplexing to someone who knew nothing about it
a puzzling statement
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: perplexing, puzzling
Antonyms: none provided
4
adjective satellite
Meaning 4
causing confusion or disorientation
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a confusing jumble of road signs
being hospitalized can be confusing and distressing for a small child
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
No etymology was provided for this word.
Across languages
Translations
60 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
مُرْبِك
(murbik)
— difficult to understand
Belarusian:
заблы́таны
(zablýtany)
— difficult to understand
Bulgarian:
объркващ
(obǎrkvašt)
— difficult to understand
Catalan:
confús
— difficult to understand
Chinese Mandarin:
撲朔迷離 /扑朔迷离
(pūshuòmílí)
— difficult to understand
Chinese Mandarin:
含糊不清的
(hánhú bù qīng de)
— difficult to understand
Czech:
matoucí
— difficult to understand
Danish:
forvirrende
— difficult to understand
Dutch:
verwarrend
— difficult to understand
Dutch:
niet duidelijk
— difficult to understand
Dutch:
chaotisch
— difficult to understand
Esperanto:
implikanta
— difficult to understand
Esperanto:
konfuzanta
— difficult to understand
Faroese:
ørkymlandi
— difficult to understand
Finnish:
hämmentävä
— difficult to understand
French:
complexe
— difficult to understand
French:
déroutant
— difficult to understand
French:
confusant
— difficult to understand
Galician:
confuso
— difficult to understand
Georgian:
გაუგებარი
(gaugebari)
— difficult to understand
German:
verwirrend
— difficult to understand
German:
irreführend
— difficult to understand
German:
missverständlich
— difficult to understand
German:
unübersichtlich
— difficult to understand
Hebrew:
מבלבל
(m'valbél)
— difficult to understand
Hindi:
भ्रामक
(bhrāmak)
— difficult to understand
Icelandic:
ruglingslegur
— difficult to understand
Italian:
che confonde
— difficult to understand
Italian:
poco chiaro
— difficult to understand
Italian:
confusionario
— difficult to understand
Japanese:
紛らわしい
(magirawashii)
— difficult to understand
Kapampangan:
macabaligo
— difficult to understand
Kapampangan:
makabaligo
— difficult to understand
Kapampangan:
makalitu
— difficult to understand
Khmer:
ច្រឡំ
(jrɑlɑm)
— difficult to understand
Malay:
mengelirukan
— difficult to understand
Mauritian Creole:
konfi
— difficult to understand
Mirandese:
cunfuso
— difficult to understand
Mirandese:
ambrulhado
— difficult to understand
Mirandese:
ambaranhado
— difficult to understand
Norwegian Bokmål:
forvirrende
— difficult to understand
Norwegian Nynorsk:
forvirrende
— difficult to understand
Polish:
mylący
— difficult to understand
Polish:
zagmatwany
— difficult to understand
Portuguese:
confuso
— difficult to understand
Portuguese:
embrulhado
— difficult to understand
Portuguese:
embaraçado
— difficult to understand
Romanian:
confuz
— difficult to understand
Romanian:
încurcător
— difficult to understand
Romanian:
zăpăcitor
— difficult to understand
Romanian:
haotic
— difficult to understand
Russian:
сбива́ющий с то́лку
(sbivájuščij s tólku)
— difficult to understand
Russian:
запу́танный
(zapútannyj)
— difficult to understand
Spanish:
confuso
— difficult to understand
Spanish:
enredado
— difficult to understand
Spanish:
confusionario
— difficult to understand
Swedish:
förvirrande
— difficult to understand
Tagalog:
nakakalito
— difficult to understand
Thai:
ที่น่าสับสน
— difficult to understand
Turkish:
kafa karıştırıcı
— difficult to understand