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confusingly

confusingly

3 4.0
In a way that makes it hard to understand
  • adverb
  • /kənˈfjuzɪŋli/
translation icon : confusamente
  • The instructions were given so confusingly that no one could follow them.
  • somewhat confusingly

Are we saying that the Bible's so confusingly written and it's this old school English plus vague messaging?

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Examples

  • That is a really confusingly phrased question.

  • So this representation, it comes with different names which are sometimes used confusingly in an interchangeable way.

  • Basically, the products have to look substantially and confusingly similar to each other.

  • Recall that New York confusingly uses the term Supreme Court for its lowest level of courts.

  • OK, so we're going to begin with the ever confusingly named Ruths Chris.

  • Somewhat confusingly (to Western ears), the cycles are known as weeks.

    Academic text (2003)
  • "The Disputed Domain Name is nearly identical and confusingly similar to the Complainant's marks.

    Blog text (30)
  • Confusingly, some of these 18 states require all citizens to report, but also provide exceptions for the attorney-client privilege.

    Academic text (2007)
  • Confusingly, different studies use time factors, biochemical factors, or clinical characteristics to define early versus late start of RRT.

    Academic text (2016)
  • At the same time that patients are being whisked through the health services to achieve patient-centered care, nurses are confusingly encouraged to believe that the therapeutic nurse-patient relationship should be developed to deliver patient-centered care.

    Academic text (2007)

Synonyms

mysteriously
vsconfusingly
67 4.6

In a way that is strange and hard to understand

is the plain way of causing confusion rather than implying secrecy
incoherently
vsconfusingly
5 6.7

In a way that is not clear or logical

is a general confusing manner rather than a breakdown of logic
cryptically
vsconfusingly
3 8.1

In a way that hides the true meaning

means causing confusion more generally rather than using coded wording
incomprehensibly
vsconfusingly
2 8.0

It is very hard to understand

implies confusion but allows some chance of partial understanding
unintelligibly
vsconfusingly
2 8.1

In a way that is very hard to understand

describes causing confusion without necessarily being unreadable
obscurely
vsconfusingly
2 7.7

In a way that is not clear and hard to understand

is a straightforward way of causing confusion rather than being merely vague
disconcertingly
vsconfusingly
1 7.5

In a way that makes people feel uneasy or confused

focuses on causing confusion without the added emotional discomfort
bogglingly
vsconfusingly
1 8.4

In a way that is very surprising and hard to understand

means causing confusion without the extra sense of amazement
enigmatically
vsconfusingly
1 8.3

In a mysterious way that is hard to understand

causes confusion but without implying an intentionally mysterious source
bewilderingly
vsconfusingly
1 8.2

In a confusing way that makes something hard to understand

is the everyday cause of confusion rather than this noticeable effect
perplexingly
vsconfusingly
1 7.9

In a way that makes something hard to understand

is the general way of causing confusion rather than this specific tone
puzzlingly
vsconfusingly
1 6.1

In a way that is confusing and hard to understand

is the broader cause of confusion rather than this mild puzzlement
mystifyingly
vsconfusingly
1 8.0

In a way that is confusing and hard to understand

is a general confusing manner rather than implying hidden reasons
confoundingly
vsconfusingly
1 8.4

In a way that is very confusing and hard to understand

expresses confusion without stressing surprise or shock
bafflingly
vsconfusingly
1 7.9

In a way that is hard to understand

covers causing confusion but not necessarily at that extreme level
unclearly
vsconfusingly
1 4.4

Not clear or hard to understand

expresses causing confusion rather than only lacking clarity
undecipherably
vsconfusingly
9.8

In a way people cannot read or understand

is about causing confusion generally rather than unreadability specifically
mistily
vsconfusingly
7.5

In a way that is unclear and gives no details

is about causing confusion in meaning rather than visual or fuzzy quality
unintuitively
vsconfusingly
8.2

In a way that is hard to understand or does not match what you expect

describes general confusing manner rather than mismatch with intuition

Antonyms

1.0

In a way that leaves no doubt

110 1.0

You do this in a plain way without extra things

How Clearly

clearly
1.0
unclearly
1 4.4
confusingly
3 4.0
puzzlingly
1 6.1
perplexingly
1 7.9

Surface Forms

confusingly positive
confusinglier comparative
confusingliest superlative

Morphology

confusingly = confusing (transparent) = confuse + ing + ly

Formed by adding the adverbial suffix '-ly' to the adjective 'confusing' and therefore directly means 'in a confusing manner'.

Etymology

Confusingly comes from the Latin confundere, which means 'to pour together' and has parts com- 'together' and fundere 'to pour'. Imagine pouring different liquids until they make a muddy mix; that's why confusingly means 'in a way that mixes things up and makes them hard to understand', and the -ly ending makes it an adverb.