in great confusion
- idiom
- The people were in great confusion, but this in no way interfered with the unmatched heroism they displayed.
Examples
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The students were in great confusion when they realized the exam was today instead of next week.
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During the storm, the crowd found themselves in great confusion as they tried to find shelter.
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The sudden change in plans left everyone in great confusion as they scrambled to adjust.
Synonyms
Not able to think clearly or understand what is happening
In a confused, disorganized way with things or thoughts scattered
Not organized and full of confusion
Confused and unsure because different ideas or instructions do not agree
Unable to understand something because you feel confused
Not knowing what to do or say
Something that is untidy and not in order
Being in a state of disorder or confusion
Very noisy and upset because people are angry or worried
Confused and not in clear order so hard to understand
Feeling confused because you do not understand something
Feeling confused or lost about your place among others
Unable to understand what is happening
Confused and unable to think clearly after something unexpected
A sudden state of confusion and panic that makes someone lose control
In a hurry and moving clumsily without control
A confused, disorganized state where people do not know what to do
Feeling confused and not knowing what is happening or what to do
In a way that shows you are not sure or do not understand
In a confused, hurried way with no order
To fall down suddenly into a messy pile
In a mixed up, messy way
In a confused, messy way
In a confused and disorganized state
Feeling very confused and not able to understand something unexpected
Feeling confused when you cannot understand something
Confused and unable to think clearly
Confused and unable to think clearly
In a confused way when you do not understand something
In a confused and foggy way that makes it hard to think
Confused and not sure what to do
Being confused and worried about what to do
Confused and not able to think clearly
Antonyms
How Confused
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is transparently compositional: 'in' marks a state or location, 'great' intensifies degree, and 'confusion' names the mental state, so a learner who knows the words can infer 'in a state of much confusion/disarray'. This structure and meaning pattern is cross-linguistically common and follows normal adjective intensifier + noun composition, making it immediately understandable to B1 learners.
Etymology
In great confusion paints a clear picture of a scene where people and things are all mixed up—papers on the floor, people moving fast and unsure where to go. That's why being in a state of confusion means being 'in chaos'.