How to pronounce confuse
Say it like kun-FYOOZ. Confuse has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FYOOZ).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce confuse. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- kun
- FYOOZ
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Confuse pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- kunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- FYOOZSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of confuse
American and British speakers say confuse in essentially the same way: /kənˈfjuz/ in the US and /kənˈfjuːz/ in the UK.
British respelling: kun-FYOOZ.
What does confuse mean?
- mistake one thing for another“you are confusing me with the other candidate”“I mistook her for the secretary”
- be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly“These questions confuse even the experts”“This question completely threw me”
- cause to feel embarrassment“The constant attention of the young man confused her”
Where does confuse come from?
Back-formation from confused, from Middle English confused (“frustrated, ruined”), from Anglo-Norman confus, from Latin cōnfūsus, past participle of cōnfundō.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with confuse
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of confuse.
Questions about saying confuse
How do you pronounce confuse?
Say kun-FYOOZ. The American pronunciation is /kənˈfjuz/. In British English it is /kənˈfjuːz/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in confuse?
Confuse has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FYOOZ). Broken into parts: kun · FYOOZ.
Do Americans and Brits say confuse the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kənˈfjuz/ and the British form is /kənˈfjuːz/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.