discombobulate

verb

dis·​com·​bob·​u·​late ˌdis-kəm-ˈbä-b(y)ə-ˌlāt 

discombobulated; discombobulating; discombobulates

transitive verb

informal

: to cause to be in a state of confusion : upset, disorient

… inventing cool new ways to discombobulate the old order.

—Kurt Andersen

Executives of other NHL clubs are hopping mad at St. Louis president Jack Quinn and general manager Ron Caron for once again discombobulating the NHL's salary structure.

—Austin Murphy

… his determination to discombobulate the bourgeoise was not regarded as a joke.

—George Levine

see also discombobulated

discombobulating adjective

If it has been an unsettling season for all NFL players, it has been absolutely discombobulating for the Raiders …

—Ron Fimrite

Penn sent a discombobulating array of material to incoming freshmen over the summer.

—Ben Adler

discombobulation

ˌdis-kəm-ˌbä-b(y)ə-ˈlā-shən 

noun

A winding drive through the rural areas, twisting and turning to the point of discombobulation, until, emerging around a final left turn, a clearing presents itself.

—Micah Redfield

Synonyms of discombobulate

• bewilder
• confuse
• baffle
• perplex
• puzzle
• befuddle

Examples of discombobulate in a Sentence

our grandmother seems a bit discombobulated by all of this birthday fuss

Recent Examples on the Web

Richard Dreyfuss stars as an Indiana electric lineman/dad who gets discombobulated after a light from a passing UFO compels him to do weirdo things — like build a mountain replica inside of his home. —Randy Myers, Mercury News, 8 June 2026

The story of Game Two should also feature Jose Alvarado, who scored all of two points and played only ten minutes but seemed to discombobulate the Spurs with his fearlessness and his speed. —Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 7 June 2026

Jackson Merrill is too talented to be this discombobulated much longer. —Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026

But none have quite the staying power of discombobulate. —Rachel Treisman, NPR, 15 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

probably alteration of discompose

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

discombobulate

verb

dis·​com·​bob·​u·​late ˌdis-kəm-ˈbäb-yə-ˌlāt 

-ə-

informal

: upset entry 1 sense 3a, confuse