as in to bewilder
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
our grandmother seems a bit discombobulated by all of this birthday fuss
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of discombobulate
As disparate and discombobulating as each of these elements seem, they were tied together by the show’s enduring theme, the city of Los Angeles, which was then used to provide a subset of themes for each subsequent episode.
—
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Mar. 2025
Her flashbacks present throughout the film as these trippy visions with a discombobulating first-person POV.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2025
The full story is very rarely told from one angle, but the sight of Kelly warming the bench this season has been discombobulating.
—Megan Feringa, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025
The experience at the airport has changed in recent years, and can be discombobulating for families.
—Jason D. Seacat, Hartford Courant, 20 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for discombobulate
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Mar. 2025
Her flashbacks present throughout the film as these trippy visions with a discombobulating first-person POV.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2025
The full story is very rarely told from one angle, but the sight of Kelly warming the bench this season has been discombobulating.
—Megan Feringa, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025
The experience at the airport has changed in recent years, and can be discombobulating for families.
—Jason D. Seacat, Hartford Courant, 20 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for discombobulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discombobulate
Verb
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Nandi is experiencing severe insomnia, tremors and psychosis, and her quickly deteriorating condition bewilders the emergency room staff.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
21 Oct. 2025
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Gelles avoids lionizing Patagonia’s leader, describing Chouinard’s mercurial leadership style that often bewildered his staff at Patagonia.—
Maya Silver,
Outside,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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One of the higher-ups felt my title Stairway to Heaven would be confused with the 1939 movie of the same name.—
Cameron Crowe,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Oct. 2025
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Historically, people disguised themselves in mystical and mythical ensembles time of year in order to confuse ghosts and deter them from wreaking havoc; the Celts even carved faces into vegetables to keep the entities away from their food.—
Lisa Stardust,
Vogue,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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He was baffled as if there does not appear to be any point of access for an animal the size of a ground hog.—
Chris McKeown,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
25 Oct. 2025
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She was baffled by his sudden enterprise.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Illston appeared frustrated and perplexed by the government's unwillingness to engage on the merits during the hearing.—
Andrea Hsu,
NPR,
15 Oct. 2025
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The 18 runs plundered off one over was the most Jasprit Bumrah had ever conceded in Tests, leaving the bowler perplexed as he was replaced.—
Sam Dalling,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Actors’ Equity membership puzzled me.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Oct. 2025
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There was, however, one puzzling factor.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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And the offensive operation looked much smoother, as Payton meshed the Colts to death and befuddled their defense on a second-quarter touchdown in which tight end Adam Trautman split out wide.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
15 Sep. 2025
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Stainton Williams has been similarly befuddled by his interactions with Citizens.—
Mario Ariza,
ProPublica,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Discombobulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discombobulate. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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