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disorient
verb
dis·ori·ent
(ˌ)dis-ˈȯr-ē-ˌent
disoriented; disorienting; disorients
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
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
Speak to your child in a soothing tone but avoid trying to wake them up as this can disorient them.
—
Arielle Tschinkel, Parents, 12 Feb. 2025
Sometimes that means tying on the old bandanna to hack one’s way out of the Hollywood jungle so disorienting to aging action stars.
—
Randall Colburn, EW.com, 10 Feb. 2025
The rotors kicked up a thick cloud that blotted out the ground and sky, disorienting the pilot.
—
Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes, 4 Feb. 2025
That’s a little disorienting for those of us used to the standard function-key lineup.
—
Josh Gulick, PCMAG, 2 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for disorient 
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Word History
Etymology
French désorienter, from dés- dis- + orienter to orient
First Known Use
1655, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Dictionary Entries Near disorient
Cite this Entry
“Disorient.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disorient. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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
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