verb
confound
To overturn an expectation or intended outcome.
The team's surprise victory confounds predictions of an easy defeat.
Etymology
The Latin verb pictures pouring things together into confusion. Confounding expectations disrupts their orderly prediction, producing a result that defeats what had been anticipated.
More examples
- Her quick recovery confounds the doctors' expectations.
- A sudden snowstorm confounded our plans for an outdoor wedding.
- The company's continued success confounds critics who predicted its collapse.
Forms
confound · confounds · confounded · confounding