Confound

To perplex or bewilder someone; to cause surprise or confusion, especially by acting against expectations or norms. It signifies an inability to understand or explain something due to complexity, ambiguity, or unexpected circumstances. Further, 'confound' can also describe the act of thwarting or frustrating someone's plans or efforts, leading to their failure. Ultimately, 'confound' implies a disruption of clarity, order, or expected outcomes, creating a state of uncertainty or obstruction. It can apply to concepts, individuals, plans, or situations.

Confound meaning with examples

• The magician's final trick was designed to confound the audience, leaving them completely baffled by the seemingly impossible feat. No one could explain it. The sheer audacity of the misdirection and sleight of hand techniques left every spectator mystified and grasping for any logical explanation of how it was performed.
• The complex nature of dark matter continues to confound scientists, preventing them from fully understanding its composition and behavior. This mysterious substance's unseen influence on galactic structures has created a new paradigm of the universe, leading to all new models and hypotheses.
• The unexpected turn of events in the stock market served to confound the financial analysts, as their predictions proved wildly inaccurate. The volatility caused widespread chaos among their investors, the experts having no answers to the unexpected changes that unfolded.
• The unexpected appearance of a long-lost sibling served to confound the family gathering, creating a whirlwind of emotions. Amidst all the celebrations, there was suddenly a sense of mystery and suspense, with long-held secrets and the weight of history hanging in the air.