confusing

USAGE SUMMARY

"confusing" is an English word and is usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation that is hard to understand or to refer to something that is difficult to interpret. For example: "The professor's lecture was confusing and it was difficult to keep track of the concepts."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

It was confusing.

The New York Times

It can be confusing.

The New York Times

I came away feeling that if I wasn't already a Liberal Democrat, Nick's welcome references to sticking to our own values and beliefs may have been a tad confusing.

The Guardian - Opinion

One wonders whether some people are still confusing transgender with gay or transsexual.

The Guardian - Music

The SDLP described Poots's latest claims as "confusing personal prejudice with prudent policy".

The Guardian

"I think you're confusing [ironic] with 'creepy'," wrote @JennNiff.

The Guardian - Music

The media, one of the key channels for communicating with people outside academia, has a reputation for skewing or clumsily confusing scientific reports.

The Guardian

Simon Jenkins is confusing freedom of expression with fostering hatred – a tactic much used by those who wish to be free to discriminate against others while being protected from being discriminated against.

The Guardian

It's now four episodes in to its eight-episode run, and it has become, somehow, a sensitive, sweet and funny look at teenage life that handles confusing sexuality with surprising dexterity.

The Guardian

His latest book is Models.Behaving.Badly: Why Confusing Illusion with Reality Can Lead to Disasters, On Wall Street and in Life – one of Business Week's top ten books of 2011.

The Guardian - Money

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Some, such as Apple, have tried to shoehorn an entire smartphone's worth of functionality onto the wrist creating expensive, often-confusing trinkets.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure a logical flow in your writing to prevent your audience from getting "confused" by scattered information. A well-structured argument or narrative enhances understanding and engagement.

Common error

Avoid embedding too many clauses or complex vocabulary in one sentence. This can lead to reader fatigue and make your writing appear "confusing". Break down lengthy sentences into shorter, more digestible segments for better comprehension.

Linguistic Context

The word "confusing" primarily functions as an adjective, describing something that causes bewilderment or difficulty in understanding. As Ludwig AI highlights, it's usable in written English to characterize unclear situations.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "confusing" functions primarily as an adjective used to describe something difficult to understand. According to Ludwig AI, it is perfectly acceptable in written English. It appears frequently in news and media, demonstrating its versatility across various registers. When aiming for clarity, consider alternatives such as "perplexing" or "unclear" to precisely convey the intended meaning. To maintain reader comprehension, avoid overly complex sentences that could make your writing appear "confusing".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

perplexing

Emphasizes bewilderment caused by something complex.

bewildering

Highlights the disorientation and puzzlement caused by something.

puzzling

Focuses on the enigmatic nature of something.

unclear

Indicates a lack of clarity or precision.

vague

Suggests a lack of specificity or definition.

ambiguous

Implies having multiple possible meanings or interpretations.

obscure

Indicates something hidden or not easily discovered or understood.

enigmatic

Highlights the mysterious and difficult-to-interpret nature of something.

incomprehensible

Emphasizes the inability to understand something.

muddled

Suggests a state of disorder and lack of clarity.

FAQs

How can I use "confusing" in a sentence?

You can use "confusing" to describe something difficult to understand. For example, "The instructions were so "vague" and made the process "confusing"".

What's the difference between "confusing" and "ambiguous"?

"Confusing" implies difficulty in understanding, while "ambiguous" means having more than one possible interpretation. Something "ambiguous" isn't necessarily difficult to understand, but could be interpreted in multiple ways.

What can I say instead of "confusing"?

Alternatives include "perplexing", "bewildering", or "unclear", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to say "that's confusing"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct. "Confusing" can function as an adjective, so saying "that's confusing" is perfectly acceptable to describe something that causes confusion.