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
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
Soon, their low-slung, single-story homes would be overshadowed by condos and mega-hotels, their windswept beaches packed with tourists, the dark sky fractured by lights that would disorient nesting sea turtles.
—
Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 15 Dec. 2025
The affected turtles, who were weak and disoriented, washed ashore in New England after the cold-stunning event.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025
The lawsuit alleges that after receiving more than two dozen drinks from crew members, the man became disoriented and agitated while trying to find his room.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 11 Dec. 2025
Most notably, Godard pioneered the use of jump cuts in the film, cutting within the same shot to compress time, disorient the viewer, and keep things moving, which gives certain scenes an odd, staccato rhythm.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disorient
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Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 15 Dec. 2025
The affected turtles, who were weak and disoriented, washed ashore in New England after the cold-stunning event.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025
The lawsuit alleges that after receiving more than two dozen drinks from crew members, the man became disoriented and agitated while trying to find his room.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 11 Dec. 2025
Most notably, Godard pioneered the use of jump cuts in the film, cutting within the same shot to compress time, disorient the viewer, and keep things moving, which gives certain scenes an odd, staccato rhythm.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disorient
Cite this Entry
“Disorient.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disorient. Accessed 21 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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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