a state of not understanding something clearly or being uncertain about what to do
example
There was some confusion about the time of the meeting, so half the team arrived late.
synonyms
misunderstandinguncertainty
word origin — Middle English: from Latin confusio(n-), from the verb confundere ‘mingle together’ (see confuse)
confusion, destruction, dependence, duration, reduction: meanings and examples
Learn these 5 words from Intermediate set 86. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.
confusion · noun/kənˈfjuʒ(ə)n/
a state of not understanding something clearly or being uncertain about what to do
There was some confusion about the time of the meeting, so half the team arrived late.
Synonyms: misunderstanding, uncertainty
Origin: Middle English: from Latin confusio(n-), from the verb confundere ‘mingle together’ (see confuse)
destruction · noun/dəˈstrəkʃ(ə)n/
serious damage that ruins something completely
The destruction of the rainforest has forced many animals to leave the area.
Synonyms: devastation, damage, harm
Origin: Middle English: from Latin destructio(n-), from the verb destruere (see destroy)
dependence · noun/dəˈpɛnd(ə)ns/
the state of needing someone or something in order to live, work, or succeed
Too much dependence on smartphones can make it harder for some people to manage everyday tasks without them.
Synonyms: reliance
Origin: late Middle English (in the sense ‘hanging down or something that hangs down’): from Old French dependance, from the verb dependre (see depend)
duration · noun/dʊrˈeɪʃ(ə)n/
the length of time that something lasts
The duration of the meeting depends on how many issues need to be discussed.
Synonyms: period, span, time
Origin: late Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin duratio(n-), from durare ‘to last’, from durus ‘hard’
reduction · noun/rəˈdəkʃ(ə)n/
a change that makes something smaller in size or amount
The reduction in fuel prices for the first time in two years has made motorists happy.
Synonyms: decline, decrease, cutback
Origin: late Middle English (denoting the action of bringing back): from Old French, or from Latin reductio(n-), from reducere ‘bring back, restore’ (see reduce). The sense development was broadly similar to that of reduce; sense 1 dates from the late 17th century