as in to confuse
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
troops disoriented by the sudden change in battle plans
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Recent Examples of disorient
Ya Tseen’s Stand on My Shoulders sounds like waking up disoriented in someone else’s dream—voices drift in and out, shifting between languages, and the psych-rock haze never quite resolves into clarity.
—
Petala Ironcloud, Pitchfork, 20 Jan. 2026
Ever since the president danced with the Village People during last year’s inauguration weekend, the Trumpian right has been disorienting America with this kind of spectacle.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2026
When asked about the overwhelming public reaction to his newfound fame, Williams admitted the experience has been disorienting.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 20 Jan. 2026
Ultimately, Yu made the decision to leave the army, which left him feeling disoriented and exiled.
—Ernestine Siu, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disorient
Petala Ironcloud, Pitchfork, 20 Jan. 2026
Ever since the president danced with the Village People during last year’s inauguration weekend, the Trumpian right has been disorienting America with this kind of spectacle.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2026
When asked about the overwhelming public reaction to his newfound fame, Williams admitted the experience has been disorienting.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 20 Jan. 2026
Ultimately, Yu made the decision to leave the army, which left him feeling disoriented and exiled.
—Ernestine Siu, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disorient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disorient
Verb
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The sheer bulk of the suit might confuse the human eye from a distance, but in large open spaces, like snowfields, anything that looks a little odd will stand out.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Jan. 2026
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Many people confuse the center with Crossroads Church or Crossroad Health Center, Pelicano said.—
Bebe Hodges,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But unlike his Sophoclean namesake, Orestes is bewildered by this escalation and refuses.—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
The Atlantic,
5 Jan. 2026
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In April, the president was among those bewildered by his fall.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
27 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Gargantuan boulders, twisted spiky trees, and vibrant sunset colors form an arid landscape that has perplexed and inspired creative titans like Jim Morrison and Gram Parsons for years.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
14 Jan. 2026
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The disjunction between the abstract composition and the notion of self-portraiture appeared perplexing in its own right; its inoperability only exacerbated the viewer’s frustration and redoubled the artist’s impish provocation.—
Ara H. Merjian,
Artforum,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Homeowners and residents are baffled by the attacks upon their beautiful — but otherwise seemingly useless — plants.—
Tribune News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
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Georgia basketball’s matchup with Tennessee ended in baffling fashion Wednesday night.—
Olivia Sayer,
AJC.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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For decades, this has puzzled physicists and engineers alike.—
Tejasri Gururaj,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
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Juarez was overwhelmed and a bit puzzled by some of the responses.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disorient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disorient. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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