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
At first this is disorienting, but Bloom’s bold plot choices challenge and enrich.
—
Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025
This book is his opus, one bewildering, confusing, meandering, and disorienting episodic tale after another involving reporters, runways, and casinos, back when Vegas was gloriously trashy.
—Brian Boone, Vulture, 18 June 2025
Something’s wrong with Spike’s mother (Jodie Comer), who seems disoriented and combative at times.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 18 June 2025
Directors love the way that something as small and light as an iPhone can be used, especially for dramas, where the director of photography can get up close to actors without the disorienting effect that a full-size Hollywood camera can cause.
—David Phelan, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for disorient
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Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025
This book is his opus, one bewildering, confusing, meandering, and disorienting episodic tale after another involving reporters, runways, and casinos, back when Vegas was gloriously trashy.
—Brian Boone, Vulture, 18 June 2025
Something’s wrong with Spike’s mother (Jodie Comer), who seems disoriented and combative at times.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 18 June 2025
Directors love the way that something as small and light as an iPhone can be used, especially for dramas, where the director of photography can get up close to actors without the disorienting effect that a full-size Hollywood camera can cause.
—David Phelan, Forbes.com, 16 June 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 1 Jul. 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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