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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
  • The Heisenberg uncertainty principle teaches us that observation disturbs the observed.
    Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
  • Hammond, not wanting the dinosaurs disturbed, sends behavioral paleontologist Sarah Harding (Julianne Moore) to Isla Sorna, where the dinosaurs have been living without human interference.
    Will Harris, EW.com, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • These attacks don’t just disrupt operations but also expose deeply personal financial information that can fuel identity theft, fraud and long-term reputational damage.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 21 June 2025
  • Globally, heatwaves, droughts, and extreme weather are disrupting supply chains, inflating food prices, and undermining financial stability.
    Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
Verb
  • While notification bundles were an option before, they were primarily used for messaging, and not all developers bothered.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 30 June 2025
  • If Waldron wasn’t battered, then Phillies starter Zack Wheeler was hardly bothered.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • The man is Jack Ryan, not to be confused with the Jack Ryan dreamed up by Tom Clancy.
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
  • And some say they were confused by what their leases said about renters’ insurance, and they were left without coverage.
    Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Shepherding that split to reality will leave WBD leadership distracted for a year, Martin estimated.
    David Bloom, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
  • Cho, as the perceptive and generous Jin, distracted from his own family troubles by the sudden flashes of Casey’s bright light, is wise and rejuvenated; disinterested admiration makes this man, who looks to be in his forties, nearly a teen-ager again.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 20 June 2025
Verb
  • Nicolo Barella would often drop between Stefan de Vrij and right centre-back Matteo Darmian or pull wide outside of Urawa’s defensive block to kickstart Inter’s possession, meaning the Japanese side were comfortable shuffling from side to side with the game in front of them.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 21 June 2025
  • The latest major example of this reliable horror subgenre shuffling (or in this case running) into theaters is 28 Years Later.
    James Grebey, Time, 20 June 2025
Verb
  • While some worry about the unpredictability of U.S. policies in recent months, China has yet to present itself as a dependable alternative, said Matt Gertken, chief geopolitical strategist at BCA Research.
    Lee Ying Shan,Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 25 June 2025
  • In Boca Raton, the government campus project has drawn concern, with some residents worrying about the relocation of the current sports facilities there, encroaching on the nearby neighborhoods and actually adding traffic to the city despite one of the goals being to reduce it.
    Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • The man, wearing a black polo and slacks, looked up from a table saw, alarmed.
    Dan Greene, New Yorker, 21 June 2025
  • The potential downside of glucose monitoring is that people who are (perhaps needlessly) alarmed by their CGM data will swap out healthy carbs such as fruit and whole grains for foods that are less healthy—butter, for example, or bacon and red meat.
    Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 19 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Discompose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discompose. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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