is easily confused for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "is easily confused for" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when indicating that one thing is often mistaken for another due to similarities. Example: "The two species of birds are so similar in appearance that one is easily confused for the other."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

It is easily confused, for instance, by viewing artificial light in the evening, he says, when the internal clock expects darkness.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

It features a blue cloud with a smiley face that could be easily confused for the tumor she had removed.

The Washington Post

For the case of plastic FOD, metal and plastic were easily confused for each other.

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

Furthermore, some of the styles were very close (for instance "proud" was more often recognized as "cool" or "manly") and were easily confused for one another.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Second, don't make your market so large that is can be easily confused for everyone or most of everyone on Earth, such as saying "consumers" or "women".

TechCrunch

Second, don't make your market so large that is can be easily confused for everyone or most of everyone on Earth, such as saying "consumers" or "women". Third, eliminate any buzzwords, acronyms or industry jargon from your pitch.

TechCrunch

That's easily confused for people.

Huffington Post

Inside, a sprawling video screen spanned the entire length of one wall and a lounge area could be easily confused for a chic Hollywood nightclub.

Los Angeles Times

To the naked eye, this stringy-haired tribe of wanderers could be easily confused for friendly Midwestern tourists; some of the druggier ones look one needle away from dirt-crusted gutter punks.

Vice

However, B5 is also recruited to numerous endosomes that are easily confused for virus particles.

Cellular Microbiology

Despite ubiquitous use of the term by both lay people and professionals, there is still a lack of clarity about its meaning, and social support is easily confused with, for instance, caring [ 17].

BMC Nursing

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "is easily confused for", ensure the comparison is clear and specific. State exactly what the subject is being mistaken for.

Common error

Avoid vague comparisons when using "is easily confused for". Be specific about what items are similar; don't just say "it is easily confused for something else."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is easily confused for" functions as a linking verb phrase, connecting a subject with a description of its potential for misidentification. This expression indicates a state of being easily mistaken for something else due to shared characteristics or similarities. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "is easily confused for" serves to highlight the possibility of misidentification due to similarities between two distinct things. Ludwig AI confirms that the expression is grammatically correct and widely used across various contexts, particularly in News & Media, Science, and Wiki sources. When using the phrase, specificity in comparisons is essential to avoid vagueness. While alternatives like "is often mistaken for" and "can be mistaken for" offer similar meanings, the choice depends on the precise nuance one wishes to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is often mistaken for

Replaces "easily confused" with "often mistaken", emphasizing frequency of misidentification.

can be mistaken for

Uses "can be" instead of "is easily", suggesting possibility rather than ease of confusion.

is sometimes confused with

Replaces "easily" with "sometimes", indicating less frequent confusion.

bears a resemblance to

Shifts focus to resemblance rather than potential for confusion.

is frequently interchanged with

Emphasizes that the terms or things are actively swapped or used in place of one another.

shares similarities with

Focuses on shared characteristics instead of confusion.

is analogous to

Highlights the analogy between two subjects, rather than potential for misidentification.

can be readily identified as

Suggests a simple process of identification, though potentially incorrect.

could be seen as

Presents a possible interpretation, less direct than claiming confusion.

has attributes similar to

Focuses on similar attributes without implying confusion.

FAQs

What does "is easily confused for" mean?

It means something shares characteristics with something else, leading to mistaken identification. For example, "This type of mushroom "is easily confused for" a poisonous variety".

What can I say instead of "is easily confused for"?

You can use alternatives like "is often mistaken for", "can be mistaken for", or "is sometimes confused with" depending on the context.

How do I use "is easily confused for" in a sentence?

Use it to point out similarities that may cause misidentification. For example, "The male and female birds look so similar that one "is easily confused for" the other".

What's the difference between "is easily confused for" and "resembles"?

"resembles" simply means something looks similar, while ""is easily confused for"" implies that similarity often leads to misidentification. The former is a statement of appearance, the latter is about potential misunderstanding.