CONFOUNDS Synonyms: 157 Similar and Opposite Words

confounds

verb

present tense third-person singular of confound

as in confuses

to throw into a state of mental uncertainty we were confounded by the player's remote control, which wasn't at all user-friendly

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as in embarrasses

to throw into a state of self-conscious distress his renewed popularity has confounded the critics who said his singing career was dead

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as in conflates

to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related I think you've confounded astrology with astronomy

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as in refutes

to prove to be false new discoveries that confound much of what archaeologists thought they knew about the Mayan civilization

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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 confounds This is a complex situation that even confounds experts, largely because the trust documentation is not yet publicly available. — Mirin Fader, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Complicating matters even further for Peter, in addition to a mysterious new supervillain who confounds him, is the fact that his body’s changing. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 30 July 2026 Patriotism rooted in one or the other can curdle into cynicism or nihilism when confronted with evidence that confounds them. — Mark Brilliant, Mercury News, 9 July 2026 The technology has advanced so quickly, in fact, that its end result — untraceable weapons, assembled from spare parts and plastic frames — often confounds existing laws and presents a unique enforcement problem for authorities. — Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2026 The dollar’s resilience confounds many investors. — William Pesek, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026 Keywords and concepts are linked to objects and ephemera, which are tagged and cross-referenced in a dense network that both thrills and confounds. — Katherine Rochester, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2026 Then the brutal murder of a young woman ― the latest in a string of deaths across the coast ― confounds police. — Ashlee Conour, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026 Onto center stage steps a figure who confounds expectations. — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 1 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for confounds

Verb

Retreat to the previous paragraph if the question confuses you.

— John Tamny, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Any adversary who confuses media noise with American weakness will discover the truth the hard way.

— Michael Loria, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of confuses

Verb

Graft inquiry embarrasses Zelensky Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office said in a Telegram announcement that the investigation into Yermak is ongoing.

— Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Now the technology embarrasses an umpire even more than a player could, and what’s the recourse?

— Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026

Definition of embarrasses

Verb

But when the studio overturns the casting decision, her search for answers spirals into obsession, blurring the line between ambition, performance and reality.

— Alex Ritman, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
If the state’s highest court overturns Green’s ruling, the court will also have to weigh whether the new map can be used in the November election.

— Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of overturns

Verb

As fans of the comedian know, Ali G is a streetwise interviewer whose hip hop slang often bewilders guests such as Noam Chomsky, Andy Rooney and Newt Gingrich.

— Brent Lang, Variety, 7 July 2026
The narrator and his wife find that their attachment to the charismatic and cryptic Chibi grows with the cat’s increasing visits, in a way that bewilders them but somehow bonds them closer together.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 June 2026

Definition of bewilders

Verb

That sequencing bothers people who’ve spent careers being told that data systems need privacy protections designed in, not bolted on after a scandal.

— Karl W. Bickel, Baltimore Sun, 25 Aug. 2026
Kurt's key takeaways What bothers me most about this scam is that criminals are going after people who may have the fewest options to protect themselves.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of bothers

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confounding

confounds

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“Confounds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confounds. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of confounds

verb

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