confound
confound — verb
1. to cause someone to feel completely confused and shocked because something unexp
to cause someone to feel completely confused and shocked because something unexpected happens that they cannot understand or explain
The sudden change in company policy confounded everyone in the office.
passive-like use: confounded + everyone as object
Eri's unexpected decision to quit her job confounded her colleagues.
confound + someone's decision as subject
The research team was confounded by data that did not match any known pattern.
Karim's simple question confounded the experts, who could not give an answer.
- clarify
to make something clear and understandable, the opposite of confusing
文法句型
confound + someone
be confounded by + something
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive voice (be confounded by). The subject of the active form is typically an event, situation, or piece of information — not a person trying to confuse someone on purpose.
常見錯誤
2. to affect the outcome of a scientific study by introducing an unwanted variable,
to affect the outcome of a scientific study by introducing an unwanted variable, so that it is no longer clear whether the factor being tested actually caused the observed result
Differences in room temperature between the two groups confounded the drug trial results.
confound + [study/results] in active voice
Researchers must control for age and gender, as these factors can confound the findings.
can confound (modal + infinitive)
The lack of a control group confounded any attempt to measure the treatment's true effect.
Reema warned that differences in internet speed would confound the online survey results.
文法句型
confound + a study / result / experiment
confound + the relationship between X and Y
用法筆記
Almost exclusively used in academic writing about experiments, studies, and statistical analysis. The confounding factor (the unwanted variable) is typically the subject of the active verb. The passive is less common in this sense than in sense 1.
常見錯誤
3. to prove that a statement, belief, or prediction is false by presenting clear ev
to prove that a statement, belief, or prediction is false by presenting clear evidence against it
The new fossil discovery confounded the long-held theory about bird evolution.
confound + a theory / belief / claim
Xiu's investigation confounded the popular belief that the painting was a fake.
confound + belief as object
Historians have since confounded the myth that the castle was destroyed in a fire.
The court's decision confounded the prosecutor's confident forecast of a conviction.
文法句型
confound + a claim / belief / argument
confound + someone (their prediction or expectation)
用法筆記
The object is usually an abstract noun (theory, belief, claim, prediction) rather than a person. When a person is the object, the sense overlaps with 'prove someone wrong in their specific claim' rather than 'confuse them.'