If you are confused, you do not know exactly what is happening or what to do.
A survey showed people were confused about what they should eat to stay healthy. [+ about/by]
Things were happening too quickly and Brian was confused.
Synonyms: bewildered, puzzled, baffled, at sea More Synonyms of confused
confusedly (kənfjuːzɪdli)graded adverb [ADVERB with verb]
He shook his head confusedly.
2. adjective
Something that is confused does not have any order or pattern and is difficult to understand.
The situation remains confused as both sides claim success.
...a modern society in which values have become increasingly confused.
Synonyms: disorderly, disordered, chaotic, mixed up More Synonyms of confused
confused in British English
(kənˈfjuːzd)
adjective
1.
feeling or exhibiting an inability to understand; bewildered; perplexed
2.
in a disordered state; mixed up; jumbled
3.
lacking sufficient mental abilities for independent living, esp through old age
Derived forms
confusedly (kənˈfjuːzɪdlɪ, -ˈfjuːzd-)
adverb
confusedness (conˈfusedness)
noun
Examples of 'confused' in a sentence
confused
They looked very confused and swiftly tried to give me the brush off.
The Sun (2011)
People get really confused by why people are generous and loving.
The Sun (2006)
This only becomes dangerous when reality and fantasy get confused.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The trouble is that some of these messages become confused.
Mansfield, Patricia Why Am I Afraid to be Assertive? (1994)
They are confused because their situation is confused and confusing.
Peter F. Drucker MANAGING IN TURBULENT TIMES (1980)
Who stuff their feelings and wear confused fake smiles.
Christianity Today (2000)
The dogs come back and they look equally confused.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
No one knows what is happening and when people are confused they go to gold.
The Sun (2010)
Everyone has become confused about what to eat.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Many people remain confused and sceptical about how the proposals will improve care for patients.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Continue to keep things to yourself and they will only become more confused.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Instead they stare ahead with confused looks on their faces.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It then recovered and that confused people.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
You may not feel able to tell your parents but may well be left with a jumble of confused feelings.
The Sun (2010)
The situation is a confused mess.
The Sun (2008)
When you are dealing with multiple agencies and many different people you may get confused and forget who said what to whom.
Martin, April The Guide to Lesbian and Gay Parenting (1993)
The first two of these are well known although often confused - animal rights andanimal welfare.
The Times Literary Supplement (2012)
The corporation has often become confused about its role in British public life.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
We British have become increasingly confused as to the status of inquiries and judgments delivered by official bodies.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Together with her emotional setback, the ambiguity of her political position left her feeling confused and miserable.
Paul Preston DOVES OF WAR: Four Women of Spain (2002)
It's a very confused situation.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
I've become increasingly confused about all the different recycling advice, especially on plastic products.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Quotations
If you are sure you understand everything that is going on, you are hopelessly confusedWalter Mondale
Anyone who isn't confused doesn't really understand the situationEd Murrow (on the Vietnam War)
In other languages
confused
British English: confused /kənˈfjuːzd/ ADJECTIVE
If you are confused, you do not know what to do or you do not understand what is happening.
People are confused about what they should eat to stay healthy.
American English: confused
Arabic: مُرْتَبِك
Brazilian Portuguese: confuso
Chinese: 困惑的
Croatian: zbunjen
Czech: zmatený
Danish: forvirret
Dutch: verward
European Spanish: confundido
Finnish: sekava
French: confus
German: verwirrt
Greek: μπερδεμένος
Italian: confuso
Japanese: 当惑した
Korean: 당황한
Norwegian: forvirret
Polish: zdezorientowany
European Portuguese: confuso
Romanian: confuz
Russian: спутанный
Latin American Spanish: confundido
Swedish: förvirrad
Thai: ที่สับสน
Turkish: kafası karışık
Ukrainian: розгублений
Vietnamese: bối rối
All related terms of 'confused'
bemuddle
to confuse
bumfuzzle
to confuse
confuse
If you confuse two things, you get them mixed up, so that you think one of them is the other one.
confusible
to bewilder ; perplex
confused elderly
no longer having sufficient mental abilities for independent living, as a result of old age
Chinese translation of 'confused'
confused
(kənˈfjuːzd)
adj
(= bewildered) 困惑的 (kùnhuò de)
(= disordered) 混乱(亂)的 (hùnluàn de)
to get confused[person]糊涂(塗) (hútu)
confuse
(kənˈfjuːz)
vt
(= perplex) 把 ... 弄糊涂(塗) (bǎ ... nòng hútu)
(= mix up) 混淆 (hùnxiáo)
(= complicate) 搞乱(亂) (gǎoluàn)
to confuse sb/sth with sb/sth把某人/某物与(與)某人/某物搞混 (bǎ mǒurén/mǒuwù yǔ mǒurén/mǒuwù gǎohùn)
1 (adjective)
Definition
lacking a clear understanding of something
People are confused about what they should eat to stay healthy.
Synonyms
bewildered
Some shoppers look bewildered by the variety of goods on offer.
puzzled
Scientists remain puzzled by this phenomenon.
baffled
at sea
I'm totally at sea with popular culture.
muddled
I'm afraid I'm a little muddled. I don't know where to begin.
dazed
By the end of the interview I was dazed and exhausted.
perplexed
She is perplexed about what to do for her daughter.
at a loss
I was at a loss for what to do next.
taken aback
disorientated
I feel dizzy and disoriented.
muzzy (informal)
Her ear is still a bit sore and she feels muzzy.
nonplussed
Patricia was totally nonplussed by Coyne's behaviour.
flummoxed
The leaders were flummoxed by the suggestion.
at sixes and sevens
thrown off balance
discombobulated (informal)
not with it (informal)
not knowing if you are coming or going
Opposites
aware
,
with it (informal)
,
informed
,
switched-on (informal)
,
enlightened
,
on the ball (informal)
,
sussed (British, slang)
2 (adjective)
Definition
disordered and difficult to understand or make sense of
The situation remains confused as both sides claim victory.Everything lay in a confused heap on the floor.
Synonyms
disorderly
The desk was covered in a disorderly jumble of old papers.
disordered
a disordered heap of mossy branches
chaotic
My house is always a chaotic mess.
mixed up
jumbled
untidy
Clothes were thrown in the luggage in an untidy heap.
out of order
in disarray
topsy-turvy
The world has turned topsy-turvy in my lifetime.
disorganized
I can't work in a disorganized office.
higgledy-piggledy (informal)
at sixes and sevens
disarranged
hugger-mugger (archaic)
disarrayed
Opposites
ordered
,
in order
,
arranged
,
organized
,
tidy
,
orderly
Quotations
If you are sure you understand everything that is going on, you are hopelessly confused [Walter Mondale]Anyone who isn't confused doesn't really understand the situation [Ed Murrow (on the Vietnam War)]