v. 25B6; verb
the figures confounded analysts : AMAZE, astonish, dumbfound, stagger, surprise, startle, stun, nonplus; throw, shake, discompose, bewilder, baffle, mystify, bemuse, perplex, puzzle, confuse; take aback, shake up, catch off balance; informal flabbergast, blow someone's mind, blow away, flummox, faze, stump, beat, fox; N. Amer. informal discombobulate.
he has always confounded expectations : CONTRADICT, counter, invalidate, negate, go against, drive a coach and horses through; quash, explode, demolish, shoot down, destroy, disprove; informal shoot full of holes.