confound (B2)
verb
Pronunciation: /kənˈfaʊnd/
Definition
To surprise and confuse someone, often by acting in an unexpected way.
Examples
The complex instructions completely confounded him.
Her sudden change of mood confounded her friends.
Scientists are confounded by the unusual behavior of the animal.
How to Use confound
- confound someone (collocation)
- To surprise and confuse a person. — "The sudden silence confounded her."
- confound the issue (collocation)
- To make a problem or situation more confusing. — "His irrelevant comments only served to confound the issue."
- confound expectations (collocation)
- To surprise people by doing something that is the opposite of what they expected. — "The underdog team confounded expectations by reaching the finals."
Synonyms of confound
Words with a similar meaning to confound:
Antonyms of confound
Words with the opposite meaning to confound:
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