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 Richard Dreyfuss stars as an Indiana electric lineman/dad who gets discombobulated after a light from a passing UFO compels him to do weirdo things — like build a mountain replica inside of his home. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 8 June 2026 The story of Game Two should also feature Jose Alvarado, who scored all of two points and played only ten minutes but seemed to discombobulate the Spurs with his fearlessness and his speed. — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 7 June 2026 Jackson Merrill is too talented to be this discombobulated much longer. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026 But none have quite the staying power of discombobulate. — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 15 Apr. 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
  • Latif is conflicted by his double life, bewildered by his doubling of parental responsibilities, constantly trying to think two moves ahead yet always ending up three steps behind.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Dan emerges as Primetime’s unlikely heart, bewildered by the dark world he’s wandered into and left to negotiate his ambitions with the high stakes of the job.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of bewilder
Verb
  • At last week's race in Azerbaijan, Cadillac's Valtteri Bottas crashed on the last lap and reportedly blamed it on the software becoming confused and affecting his braking.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Immigrant parents there wanted help writing to their kids’ teachers and making sense of confusing forms.
    — Steven Choi, New York Daily News, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of confuse
Verb
  • Beyond being frustrated with the secrecy, locals said they were baffled by the lack of specifics and clarity the stakeholders had about the project, per the records.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2026
  • And just last month, officials in Millcreek, Utah, were baffled to find an unknown camera installed on city property that neither the city nor police requested.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of baffle
Verb
  • California‘s seven Supreme Court justices appeared by turns perplexed by and incredulous of those theories during oral arguments last month.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
  • They were perplexed at first, flummoxed, but pleasant, and unfortunately for them, already long gone from the airport.
    — Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of perplex
Verb
  • Whatever caused the problem is particularly puzzling, given that the speakers use the same wireless connection whether attached or detached.
    — M. David Stone, PC Magazine, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Overrun with puzzling plot points, several cameos and a bloated supporting cast, the series fails to stick the landing.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of puzzle
Verb
  • Byrd and DeSantis each noted the many election law changes Florida has instituted since the infamous 2000 presidential election recount — where Palm Beach County’s butterfly ballots befuddled many voters in a razor-thin race.
    — Gray Rohrer, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Those are decreasing in frequency, and the situation has befuddled the USTA.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 9 Sep. 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 Oct. 2026.

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