disorient

verb

dis·​ori·​ent (ˌ)dis-ˈȯr-ē-ˌent 

disoriented; disorienting; disorients

transitive verb

1

a

: to cause to lose bearings : displace from normal position or relationship

b

: to cause to lose the sense of time, place, or identity

2

: confuse

Synonyms

• addle
• baffle
• bamboozle
• beat
• befog
• befuddle
• bemuse
• bewilder
• buffalo
• confound
• confuse
• discombobulate
• flummox
• fox
• fuddle
• get
• gravel
• maze
• muddle
• muddy
• mystify
• perplex
• pose
• puzzle
• vex

Examples of disorient in a Sentence

Thick fog can disorient even an experienced hiker.

troops disoriented by the sudden change in battle plans

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s the music video — still perhaps the greatest of the 21st century so far — full of bathhouse coffins, exploding beds, disorienting contact lenses and bewitching dance moves. —Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 5 Nov. 2024

Traveling to space — with its jarring g-forces and disorienting weightlessness — can have a variety of effects on the human body, ranging from the uncomfortable to the downright dangerous. —Jackie Wattles, CNN, 25 Oct. 2024

Young women are politically activated on campus Trump is trying to galvanize young men who are disoriented by these gender shifts, frequently emphasizing his masculinity in campaign speeches and imagery. —Fatima Hussein, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2024

Many tools and technologies that are rolling out are dizzying, disorienting and often isolating. —Sarah Lent, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French désorienter, from dés- dis- + orienter to orient

First Known Use

1655, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

disorient

verb

dis·​ori·​ent (ˈ)dis-ˈōr-ē-ˌent 

-ˈȯr-

: to cause to be confused or lost

Medical Definition

disorient

transitive verb

dis·​ori·​ent (ˈ)dis-ˈōr-ē-ˌent, -ˈȯr- 

: to produce a state of disorientation in : disorientate

the next day the patient was disoriented but not comatose

—The Journal of the American Medical Association