confoundedly
/kən'faundidli/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adverb: - In a manner expressing extreme annoyance, confusion, or surprise: Used as an intensifier, often to modify an adjective, indicating a high degree of something, typically something negative or troublesome. It conveys a sense of being bewildered or vexed.
Usage
"Confoundedly" is an adverb used for emphasis, similar to "extremely," "very," or "deucedly." It is somewhat old-fashioned and informal. It typically modifies an adjective to express that something is annoyingly or perplexingly intense. - It is placed before the adjective it modifies (e.g., confoundedly difficult). - It often carries a tone of mild exasperation or surprise.
Examples
- Modifying an adjective:
- This puzzle is confoundedly hard to solve. (This puzzle is extremely/annoyingly hard to solve.)
- He was confoundedly late for the meeting. (He was vexatiously late for the meeting.)
- It's confoundedly cold in this room. (It's terribly cold in this room.)
Advanced Usage
- As a standalone intensifier (less common): Can be used to modify the sentiment of a whole statement.
- "Confoundedly, I've lost my keys again!" (Expressing great annoyance: "Damn it, I've lost my keys again!")
Variants and Related Words
- Confound (verb): To cause surprise or confusion; to mix up or prove wrong.
- The results confounded all our expectations.
- Confounded (adjective): Used to express annoyance (informal, dated).
- That confounded dog won't stop barking!
- Confounding (adjective): Causing confusion or astonishment.
- The detective faced a confounding mystery.
Synonyms
- Extremely: To a very high degree.
- Deucedly: (Dated, informal) Extremely.
- Infernally: (Informal) Used for emphasis, implying annoyance.
- Perplexingly: In a confusing or puzzling manner.
Related Phrases/Idioms
- "Confound it!": An exclamation of annoyance or frustration (dated).
- Confound it! I've made a mistake in the calculations.
Adverb
- in a perplexed manner
- he looked at his professor perplexedly