discombobulate

verb

ˌdis-kəm-ˈbä-b(y)ə-ˌlāt How to pronounce discombobulate (audio)
Definition of discombobulatenext
as in to bewilder
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty our grandmother seems a bit discombobulated by all of this birthday fuss

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of discombobulate But none have quite the staying power of discombobulate. — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 15 Apr. 2026 Does springing forward in early March leave you feeling discombobulated during your commute? — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 30 Mar. 2026 Yet Grace is the one who wakes up in space, and this story emerges nonlinearly, narrative flashbacks like bursts of memory ripping through his brain, discombobulated after a long intergalactic coma. — Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 21 Mar. 2026 Yet Grace is the one who wakes up in space, and this story emerges nonlinearly, narrative flashbacks like bursts of memory ripping through his brain, discombobulated after a long intergalactic coma. — Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 19 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for discombobulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discombobulate
  1. bewilder
  2. confuse
  3. baffle
  4. perplex
  5. puzzle
  6. befuddle
Verb
  • For three years straight, he’s kept up a pace that bewilders the industry’s leading comics.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 17 June 2026
  • The narrator and his wife find that their attachment to the charismatic and cryptic Chibi grows with the cat’s increasing visits, in a way that bewilders them but somehow bonds them closer together.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 June 2026
Definition of bewilder
Verb
  • That is important because a boxy robotaxi that can drive both ways may confuse pedestrians, cyclists or other drivers.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • One of the biggest mistakes students make is confusing a loan approval with an affordability recommendation.
    — Scott White, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of confuse
Verb
  • Grantham said he was baffled by Wall Street banks’ recommendations to buy SpaceX for their clients.
    — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 8 July 2026
  • Pz’ spends much of his proper debut, No Turning Back, equally baffled by his good fortune and ready to fasten it to his side with a Gucci strap before anyone else can take it.
    — Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 3 July 2026
Definition of baffle
Verb
  • And Wednesday’s doubleheader — thanks to a Monday rainout that perplexed Counsell — certainly didn’t help the pitching staff.
    — Sean Hammond, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026
  • Sometimes those editing swings make sense, like incorporating more social-media posts and group chats, but other times the stylistic choices simply perplex.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 25 June 2026
Definition of perplex
Verb
  • Stock Chart IconStock chart icon Gold not glittering As for gold, while the yellow metal has traditionally been sought out by kings and paupers throughout history alike, the anaemic gold price has puzzled experts.
    — Lim Hui Jie,Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 July 2026
  • When Hilary Streever relayed the agents' message to David, he was puzzled.
    — Jude Joffe-Block, NPR, 1 July 2026
Definition of puzzle
Verb
  • The 1,000-person guest list was impressive, expansive and, occasionally, befuddling.
    — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • But behind closed doors, grievances are simmering over programming, budgets, and dueling marketing campaigns that befuddled the American public.
    — Philip Wang, Time, 29 June 2026
Definition of befuddle

Browse Nearby Words

discolors
discombobulate
discombobulated
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Cite this Entry

“Discombobulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discombobulate. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

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