confusion
[noun]
Synonyms:
- bewilderment, disorientation, mystification, perplexity, puzzlement
- disorder, chaos, commotion, jumble, mess, muddle, shambles, turmoil, untidiness, upheaval

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Contrasted words: methodization, ordering, organization, systematization, method, order, system
Related Words: derangement, disarrangement, disturbance, foul-up, mess, mix-up, muck, mux, snafu, babel, din, hullabaloo, pandemonium, disorder, disorganization, discomfiture, embarrassment

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

con‧fu‧sion S3 W3 /kənˈfjuːʒən/ noun
[Word Family: adverb: confusedly, confusingly; adjective: confused, confusing; verb: confuse; noun: confusion]

1. [uncountable and countable] when you do not understand what is happening or what something means because it is not clear
confusion about/over/as to
There was some confusion as to whether we had won or lost.
create/lead to confusion
The diversion led to considerable confusion.

2. [uncountable and countable] a situation in which someone wrongly thinks that a person or thing is someone or something else:
To avoid confusion, the teams wore different colours.
confusion between
There is a confusion in the public mind between psychology and psychiatry.

3. [uncountable] a feeling of not being able to think clearly about what you should say or do, especially in an embarrassing situation:
His confusion at meeting her there was quite apparent.
in confusion
Matt stared at her in confusion.

4. [uncountable and countable] a very confusing situation, that usually has a lot of noise and action, so that it is difficult for someone to understand it or control it Synonym : chaos:
a scene of indescribable confusion
confusion of
There was a confusion of shouts and orders as the ship prepared to depart.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

confusion
noun
ADJ. complete, total, utter | considerable, great | slight | general, widespread | administrative | mental
VERB + CONFUSION cause, create, lead to, result in | add to This latest decision has only added to the general confusion.
clear up | plunge sb/sth into, throw sb/sth into The local council has been thrown into total confusion by her resignation.
CONFUSION + VERB arise, reign Confusion reigned when the two managers gave conflicting instructions.
surround sth The government needs to clear up the confusion surrounding its policy on water.
PREP. in (the) ~ She stared at them both in utter confusion. In the confusion that followed, she managed to slip away unnoticed.
~ about/over There is widespread confusion about the government's transport policy.
~ among The announcement caused a lot of confusion among the students.
~ as to confusion as to the whereabouts of the man
~ between confusion between letters of the alphabet
~ with the confusion of this book with her last one
PHRASES a scene/state of confusion, to avoid confusion To avoid confusion, label each box clearly.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

confusion

cause/create confusion
English spelling often causes confusion for learners.
lead to/result in confusion
The differing instructions led to confusion.
add to the confusion (=make something more confusing)
There were a lot of rumours, which added to the confusion.
throw/plunge somebody into confusion
The unexpected news threw us all into confusion.
clear up the confusion (=explain something more clearly)
The chairman said that he would try to clear up the confusion.
confusion arises (=begins)
The confusion arose because of a complete misunderstanding.
great confusion
We looked at each other in great confusion.
complete/total/utter confusion
Candy's eyes showed her total confusion.
considerable confusion
The movie jumps backwards and forwards in time, which causes considerable confusion.
general confusion
There was general confusion about the effects of the new law.
mental confusion
Mental confusion is one of the symptoms of the disease.
a state of confusion
People were in a state of confusion and close to panic.
(in order) to avoid confusion
Doctors should explain their instructions to patients carefully, to avoid any confusion.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲