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
No One Talks About Retirement often begins with a subtle but disorienting shift.
—
James Mayer Jr, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Out with the Old, in with the Letterboxd Hollywood has always been obsessed with youth, but the current generational turnover happening inside entertainment has been especially disorienting for several reasons.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 31 May 2026
Some birds also become disoriented and lose their sense of direction during geomagnetic storms, when solar particles distort Earth’s magnetic field.
—Kasha Patel, CNN Money, 29 May 2026
Lacking adaptability, the machines can be completely disoriented by a simple change, like moving a chair, and halted in their progress.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for disorient
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James Mayer Jr, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Out with the Old, in with the Letterboxd Hollywood has always been obsessed with youth, but the current generational turnover happening inside entertainment has been especially disorienting for several reasons.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 31 May 2026
Some birds also become disoriented and lose their sense of direction during geomagnetic storms, when solar particles distort Earth’s magnetic field.
—Kasha Patel, CNN Money, 29 May 2026
Lacking adaptability, the machines can be completely disoriented by a simple change, like moving a chair, and halted in their progress.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for disorient
Cite this Entry
“Disorient.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disorient. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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
The Journal of the American Medical AssociationLove words? Need even more definitions?
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