as in confusion
a state of mental uncertainty
in my discombobulation I mistook a bathroom door for an exit
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Recent Examples of discombobulation
The discombobulation of college athletics contributed to their hasty exits.
—
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
In true festival style, and much to the discombobulation of Dot and Betty, this interview with Kwapis and the Wiggin sisters took place in the lobby of a very busy hotel on the day of We Are the Shaggs’ world premiere at SXSW.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 14 Mar. 2026
In the weeks prior to the performance, Cassils was subject to a debilitating case of vertigo as their body somatized the disorientation and discombobulation of this historical moment.
—Gayatri Gopinath, Artforum, 1 Dec. 2025
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
In true festival style, and much to the discombobulation of Dot and Betty, this interview with Kwapis and the Wiggin sisters took place in the lobby of a very busy hotel on the day of We Are the Shaggs’ world premiere at SXSW.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 14 Mar. 2026
In the weeks prior to the performance, Cassils was subject to a debilitating case of vertigo as their body somatized the disorientation and discombobulation of this historical moment.
—Gayatri Gopinath, Artforum, 1 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discombobulation
Noun
-
Outside, the street was now clogged with driverless cars, their high beams on, in confusion, in paralysis, lacking any traffic lights to tell them what to do.—
Catherine Lacey,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The confusion allowed the CIA to uncover the location of the service member, who was hiding in a mountain crevice, the official said.—
Seung Min Kim,
Fortune,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Larger, even more capable actors, particularly Russia and China, may also take advantage of the fog of war to launch strikes themselves.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Glimmers of light broke the fog.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The lunchtime sandwich that reigns supreme is undoubtedly the mushroom dip, with a tangle of Long Beach oyster mushrooms confited in oil, then roasted until their edges become crisp and curl in the pizza oven.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Inside a sourdough bun was an egg square folded with veggies and a tangle of arugula; sesame seeds formed a crisp outer layer on the bun.—
Cesar Hernandez,
San Francisco Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Discombobulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discombobulation. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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