disoriented

adjective

dis·​ori·​ent·​ed (ˌ)dis-ˈȯr-ē-ˌen-təd 

: having lost one's sense of time, place, or identity

She opened her eyes, startled and disoriented for an instant. The little cell she slept in was dismally black.

—Sidney Sheldon

Since fleeing to London, the 40-year-old businessman has had nightmares, chest pains and is so disoriented that he can barely look after his kids.

—Tony Horwitz

He remembered nothing for more than a few seconds. He was continually disoriented.

—Oliver Sacks

Examples of disoriented in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At the same time, Russia is becoming increasingly tied to China, within a much more multipolar world order—a phenomenon partially caused by a disoriented West. — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 18 June 2026

In August, Lil Nas X (born Montero Hill), 27, was arrested in Los Angeles after walking down the street in only his underwear and boots in a disoriented state. — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 17 June 2026

Longer naps risk the disoriented feeling that can slow the start of a shift. — Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 May 2026

This asynchrony was designed to leave viewers in a disoriented state of expectation. — Pauline J. Yao, Artforum, 2 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for disoriented

• battlemented
• circumvented
• complemented
• complimented
• discontented
• documented
• implemented
• instrumented
• oriented
• ornamented
• regimented
• reinvented