confusing
kuhn-FYOO-zihng
Confusing (adj) means Difficult to understand because it lacks clarity or order. Example: “The bus timetable is so confusing that I always ask the driver.”
adj
1
Difficult to understand because it lacks clarity or order.
"The bus timetable is so confusing that I always ask the driver."
"It was a confusing film, with too many characters and no clear plot."
"Several sections in that book are really confusing."
"The Cleveland Clinic’s Sukol thinks the word “healthy” is confusing and should be replaced with the term “nourishing,” as some processed foods have been marketed as “healthy.”"
— Jacqueline Howard, ‘Healthy’ foods have most of us confused, survey finds (2017)
"The instructions on the form were confusing and badly worded."
How to use confusing
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething is confusing when it makes people go "wait, what?"
Common mistake
Confusing describes the thing causing the puzzlement; confused describes the person feeling puzzled.
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more confusing
- Superlative
- most confusing
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The bus timetable is so _____ that I always ask the driver.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for confusing
See all rhymes for confusing →Frequently asked questions
What does “confusing” mean?
The word “confusing” means difficult to understand because it lacks clarity or order. In plain terms, something is confusing when it makes people go "wait, what?".
How do you pronounce “confusing”?
“Confusing” is pronounced kuhn-FYOO-zihng (/kənˈfjuːzɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “confusing” in a sentence?
Here is “confusing” used in a sentence: “The instructions on the form were confusing and badly worded.”
What is the opposite of “confusing”?
The opposite of “confusing” — its antonyms — are judicious, obvious and sensible.
What part of speech is “confusing”?
“Confusing” is an adjective.
Is “confusing” a common word?
“Confusing” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between confusing and confused?
Confusing describes the thing that causes confusion: "The instructions are confusing." Confused describes the person experiencing it: "I am confused." Mixing up these -ing and -ed adjectives is a classic learner error — saying "I am confusing" accidentally means you confuse other people.
What is the difference between confusing and complicated?
Complicated means having many parts or steps; something complicated can still be presented clearly. Confusing means difficult to understand because it lacks clarity or order. A well-written manual for a complicated machine is not confusing, while a badly written manual for a simple one can be.
Is it "confusing to" or "confusing for"?
Both are correct. "Confusing to" usually points to the person perceiving it ("the ending was confusing to me"), while "confusing for" often introduces the group affected ("the signage is confusing for tourists"). In most sentences the two are interchangeable.
What is the difference between confusing and misleading?
Confusing material lacks clarity or order, so readers struggle to understand it. Misleading material gives a wrong impression, deliberately or not, so readers come away believing something false. Text can be perfectly clear yet misleading, or honest yet confusing.
