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confound

con·found

confound

 
 
pronunciation:
kan faUnd [or] kn faUnd
features:
Word Combinations (verb), Word Parts
part of speech: transitive verb
inflections: confounds, confounding, confounded
definition 1: to perplex or bewilder; confuse.
The last calculus problem confounded the students.
synonyms:
baffle, befuddle, bewilder, confuse, nonplus, perplex
similar words:
addle, beat, buffalo, discombobulate, disconcert, evade, fluster, frustrate, fuddle, involve, muddle, mystify, obfuscate, perturb, pose, puzzle, stick
definition 2: to refute or prove incorrect.
The sudden drop in stock prices confounded economists' predictions.
synonyms:
confute, disprove, rebut, refute
similar words:
contradict
definition 3: to regard mistakenly as similar or identical.
His mind was slipping and he'd begun to confound fantasy with reality.
synonyms:
confuse, mix, mix up
antonyms:
discriminate, distinguish
similar words:
jumble, lump together, mistake, muddle
definition 4: to damn, usu. in a mild oath.
Confound this weather! Will it ever stop snowing?
synonyms:
curse, damn
similar words:
blast, execrate, imprecate
definition 5: to put to shame; abash.
The new product was a spectacular success that confounded all competitors.
definition 6: to make less effective; to frustrate.
Their petty objections confounded our efforts to come to an agreement.
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
derivation: confoundingly (adv.)
Word PartsSubscriber feature About this feature