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Preposition after adjective

Confused with or confused about?

Confused about means uncertain or unable to understand something. Confused with usually appears in passive expressions about mistaken identity.

Quick answer

What is the difference between confused with and confused about?

Use confused about for topics, situations, or instructions you do not understand. Use confused with mainly in expressions like be confused with, meaning mistaken for another thing or person.

I'm confused about the instructions.
She seemed confused about the schedule.
The twins are often confused with each other.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
confused about + topic

Not understanding something

Use confused about for uncertainty or lack of understanding.

He is confused about the new policy.
Students were confused about the assignment.
2
confused by + cause

Naming what caused the confusion

By introduces the thing that created confusion.

I was confused by the map.
They were confused by her reaction.
3
confused with + noun

Mistaken identity or similarity

Use confused with when one person or thing is mistaken for another.

Italian is sometimes confused with Spanish.
He was confused with his brother.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
confused about
She is confused about the payment process.
Unable to understand a topic or situation.
confused with
The actor was confused with another celebrity.
Mistaken for someone or something else.
confused by
He was confused by the instructions.
Shows the cause of confusion.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using confused with for lack of understanding

Use confused about for topics you do not understand.

✕ I am confused with the homework. ✓ I am confused about the homework.

Using about for mistaken identity

Use confused with when one thing is mistaken for another.

✕ She was confused about her sister. ✓ She was confused with her sister.

Missing the correct passive meaning

Be confused with often appears in passive-style expressions.

✕ People confuse him about his cousin. ✓ He is often confused with his cousin.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. I'm confused ___ these instructions.
2. The two brands are often confused ___ each other.
3. She was confused ___ the technical language.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I say confused on?

Confused on is informal and less standard. Confused about is preferred in most contexts.

Why do we say confused with each other?

This pattern means two people or things are mistaken for one another because they seem similar.

What is the difference between confused about and confused by?

Confused about names the topic, while confused by names the cause.

calm, in, calm, for, calm, about "candid about" or "candid in"? capable of or in? careful about, with, of, in or on? careless about, with, in, of or on? caribbean in, for, with, to or on? "catastrophic for" or "catastrophic to"? "cautious about" or "cautious in"? celtic in, for, on, at or to? central to, in, for, at or of? "certain of" or "certain about"? "challenging for" or "challenging of"?

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