confound

verb con·found \kən-ˈfau̇nd, kän-\

: to surprise and confuse (someone or something)

: to prove (someone or something) wrong

—used as an interjection to express anger or annoyance

Full Definition of CONFOUND

transitive verb

a archaic : to bring to ruin : destroy

b : baffle, frustrate <conferences … are not for accomplishment but to confound knavish tricks — J. K. Galbraith>

obsolete : consume, waste

a : to put to shame : discomfit <a performance that confounded the critics>

b : refute <sought to confound his arguments>

: damn

: to throw (a person) into confusion or perplexity

a : to fail to discern differences between : mix up

b : to increase the confusion of

— con·found·er \-ˈfau̇n-dər\ noun

— con·found·ing·ly \-diŋ-lē\ adverb

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Origin of CONFOUND

Middle English, from Anglo-French confundre, from Latin confundere to pour together, confuse, from com- + fundere to pour — more at found

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to CONFOUND

Synonyms: addle, baffle, bamboozle, beat, befog, befuddle, bemuse, bewilder, buffalo, confuse, discombobulate, disorient, flummox, fox, fuddle, get, gravel, maze, muddle, muddy, mystify, perplex, pose, puzzle, vex

Antonyms: difference, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, separate

Synonym Discussion of CONFOUND

puzzle, perplex, bewilder, distract, nonplus, confound, dumbfound mean to baffle and disturb mentally. puzzle implies existence of a problem difficult to solve <the persistent fever puzzled the doctor>. perplex adds a suggestion of worry and uncertainty especially about making a necessary decision <a behavior that perplexed her friends>. bewilder stresses a confusion of mind that hampers clear and decisive thinking <a bewildering number of possibilities>. distract implies agitation or uncertainty induced by conflicting preoccupations or interests <distracted by personal problems>. nonplus implies a bafflement that makes orderly planning or deciding impossible <the remark left us utterly nonplussed>. confound implies temporary mental paralysis caused by astonishment or profound abasement <the tragic news confounded us all>. dumbfound suggests intense but momentary confounding; often the idea of astonishment is so stressed that it becomes a near synonym of astound <was at first too dumbfounded to reply>.