disorient

verb

dis·​ori·​ent (ˌ)dis-ˈȯr-ē-ˌent 

disoriented; disorienting; disorients

transitive verb

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

Synonyms of disorient

• confuse
• bewilder
• perplex
• baffle
• puzzle

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

For the band at the center of it all, the sudden increase in attention was disorienting at times. — Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2026

Alcaraz, who had spent most of the night looking disoriented, serve-and-drop-volleyed off a rocket return, got one more error, let out a yell and came alive. — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

The director and his DP Cristiano Di Nicola create striking visuals, with a strong sense of composition and lots of woozy, disorienting angles. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026

The film slips in and out of reality, following a kind of dream logic that often disarms and disorients us. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French désorienter, from dés- dis- + orienter to orient

First Known Use

1655, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for disorient

• circumvent
• discontent
• fundament
• malcontent
• occident
• orient
• president
• presidente
• reinvent
• represent
• underwent
• accent

Kids 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