derange

verb

de·​range di-ˈrānj 

deranged; deranging

transitive verb

1

: to disturb the operation or functions of

deranged by even the slightest damage

2

: disarrange

hatless, with tie deranged

—G. W. Stonier

3

: to make mentally unsound

derangement

di-ˈrānj-mənt 

noun

Synonyms

• disturb
• bother
• unbalance
• unhinge
• distract
• unsettle
• frenzy
• confuse
• upset
• annoy

Examples of derange in a Sentence

being stranded at night on a lonely road would derange anyone

the storage room had all been deranged by the earthquake, and it took hours to sort things out

Recent Examples on the Web

And Kiritsis, as Skarsgård plays him (with a jittery but logical fast-talk fervor that makes this one of the actor’s two or three most potent performances), is a very different figure than the real Tony Kiritisis, who was older and more visibly deranged. —Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 2 Sep. 2025

Fans are even speculating that Swift may drop the first single from her upcoming album, The Life of a Showgirl, in the series finale—which seems deranged, but weirder things have happened. —Olivia Petter, Vogue, 2 Sep. 2025

Trump escalates deranged anti-Obama campaign. —Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 23 July 2025

Guys like Andrew Weissman, deranged Jack Smith. —Nicholas Riccardi, Chicago Tribune, 15 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French déranger, from Old French desrengier, from des- de- + reng line, row — more at rank entry 1

First Known Use

1769, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for derange

• arrange
• estrange
• exchange
• midrange
• change
• grange
• mange
• range
• strange
• interchange
• rearrange

Kids Definition

derange

verb

de·​range di-ˈrānj 

deranged; deranging

1

: to put out of order : disarrange

hair deranged by the wind

2

often offensive : to make insane

derangement

-mənt 

noun