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disorient

verb

(ˌ)dis-ˈȯr-ē-ˌent How to pronounce disorient (audio)
Definition of disorientnext
as in to confuse
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty troops disoriented by the sudden change in battle plans

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 disorient The director and his DP Cristiano Di Nicola create striking visuals, with a strong sense of composition and lots of woozy, disorienting angles. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026 In a phone interview with The Associated Press, Rodríguez Verona said survivors were disoriented and dehydrated, with many collapsing or vomiting upon reaching land. — ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026 That absence of information, like the partial sensory deprivation of entering down the dark stairway, can be disorienting. — Michael Joseph Gross, Travel + Leisure, 3 Sep. 2026 Dizzy and disoriented, I was told to try peeing on a strip of paper. — Victoria Song, The Verge, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disorient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disorient
  1. confuse
  2. bewilder
  3. perplex
  4. baffle
  5. puzzle
Verb
  • Enjoy the encouragement, but do not confuse applause with commitment.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 25 Sep. 2026
  • If an employee wants clarity, it shouldn’t automatically be confused with hand-holding.
    — Jeff LeBlanc, The Conversation, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of confuse
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
  • 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
  • Her home isn’t in the highway’s path, but she was still baffled by council’s decision.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Their admirable determination makes Diamantis’ flight from the United States baffling for us and humiliating for them.
    — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of baffle
Verb
  • While there were reasons for this morning's move higher, this afternoon's bond selloff is puzzling.
    — Diana Olick, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026
  • These early proponents of quantum biology sought explanations for the puzzling properties of life at the classical scale in the counterintuitive laws of physics at the quantum scale.
    — Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of puzzle

Browse Nearby Words

disorganizing
disorient
disoriented
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Disorient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disorient. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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