Definition of discomposenext
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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb discompose contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of discompose are agitate, disquiet, disturb, fluster, perturb, and upset. While all these words mean "to destroy capacity for collected thought or decisive action," discompose implies some degree of loss of self-control or self-confidence especially through emotional stress.

discomposed by the loss of his beloved wife

When would agitate be a good substitute for discompose?

Although the words agitate and discompose have much in common, agitate suggests obvious external signs of nervous or emotional excitement.

in his agitated state we could see he was unable to work

When can disquiet be used instead of discompose?

The synonyms disquiet and discompose are sometimes interchangeable, but disquiet suggests loss of sense of security or peace of mind.

the disquieting news of factories closing

Where would disturb be a reasonable alternative to discompose?

The words disturb and discompose are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, disturb implies interference with one's mental processes caused by worry, perplexity, or interruption.

the discrepancy in accounts disturbed me

When could fluster be used to replace discompose?

In some situations, the words fluster and discompose are roughly equivalent. However, fluster suggests bewildered agitation.

his declaration of love completely flustered her

In what contexts can perturb take the place of discompose?

While in some cases nearly identical to discompose, perturb implies deep disturbance of mind and emotions.

perturbed by her husband's strange behavior

When is upset a more appropriate choice than discompose?

The words upset and discompose can be used in similar contexts, but upset implies the disturbance of normal or habitual functioning by disappointment, distress, or grief.

the family's constant bickering upsets the youngest child

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 discompose In a third discomposing show of baseball in as many days, the Brewers fell, 8-6, to the lowly A's, who looked like anything but in an emphatic weekend-long dismantling of a team that entered in first place. Journal Sentinel, 11 June 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discompose
Verb
  • Rose had collected art her whole life, cared a lot about her paintings, and was disturbed, obviously, by this fact that wasn’t a fact.
    Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Marcet’s intention was certainly not to disturb the religious faith of her young readers, most of whom would have been raised on a literal understanding of the biblical creation story.
    Kathryn Hughes, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The vaccination campaign for measles was disrupted during Bangladesh's recent political upheavals.
    ABC News, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
  • For one project, Cohen tried to disrupt a protein associated with insulin resistance and diabetes.
    Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The Heat’s third matchup of the season against the Raptors didn’t go well either, as Toronto’s length on the defensive end again bothered Miami.
    Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Along the way, Melton strained his left thumb — and that clearly bothered him.
    Ron Kroichick, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • As if that wasn’t confusing enough, not all Christians agree on what day of the calendar that specific Sunday is.
    Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 4 Apr. 2026
  • This was not to be confused with the Ulster Volunteer Force or the Ulster Defence Association, both terrorist organizations that vehemently favored the link with Britain.
    Colm Tóibín, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Administrators found that without their phones, students were using school laptops for distracting activities like watching YouTube or playing games, rather than learning.
    Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Do something small to distract from the heaviness of burnout.
    Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Born from the embers of the eighties band Talulah Gosh, Heavenly, led by the singer and guitarist Amelia Fletcher, shuffled forward with her riffy, effervescent playing style, gradually growing more sophisticated across four LPs and an EP, without any loss of buoyancy.
    Hilton Als, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
  • This is where the city stages its daily open-air show — street artists sketching portraits, fortune-tellers shuffling cards and musicians playing for appreciative crowds.
    Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • But Murray worries about upholding his best friend’s wishes.
    Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Horner also talked about being concerned about losing his job, wanting to see his child and worrying about what was going to happen to him, Espinoza said.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Their habitats were ransacked, their migration routes disarranged, truncated, cut off.
    Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 21 Oct. 2022

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Cite this Entry

“Discompose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discompose. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.

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