disorient
verb
dis·ori·ent
(ˌ)dis-ˈȯr-ē-ˌent 
disoriented; disorienting; disorients
1
a
: to cause to lose bearings : displace from normal position or relationship
b
: to cause to lose the sense of time, place, or identity
2
: confuse
Synonyms
Examples of disorient in a Sentence
Thick fog can disorient even an experienced hiker.
troops disoriented by the sudden change in battle plans
Recent Examples on the Web
The state of social media, meanwhile—fractured, disorienting, and prone to boosting all manner of misinformation—can be succinctly described as a cesspool.
—
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2025
The old woman shifted at her end of the sofa, opened her eyes, and glanced around, disoriented.
—Samanta Schweblin, The New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2025
Her episodic style feels purposeful, an obvious rebuke of a more conventional narrative structure, yet the effect can be truly disorienting.
—Elizabeth Rush, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
Madcap ad-libs, tumbling drum fills, and billowing melodies suggest vitality and flowing water, bringing a disorienting air of buoyancy to curiosities about the end of existence.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for disorient 
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.
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2025
The old woman shifted at her end of the sofa, opened her eyes, and glanced around, disoriented.
—Samanta Schweblin, The New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2025
Her episodic style feels purposeful, an obvious rebuke of a more conventional narrative structure, yet the effect can be truly disorienting.
—Elizabeth Rush, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
Madcap ad-libs, tumbling drum fills, and billowing melodies suggest vitality and flowing water, bringing a disorienting air of buoyancy to curiosities about the end of existence.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for disorient
Dictionary Entries Near disorient
Cite this Entry
“Disorient.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disorient. Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
disorient
verb
dis·ori·ent
(ˈ)dis-ˈōr-ē-ˌent
-ˈȯr-
: to cause to be confused or lost
Medical Definition
disorient
transitive verb
dis·ori·ent
(ˈ)dis-ˈōr-ē-ˌent, -ˈȯr-
: to produce a state of disorientation in : disorientate
the next day the patient was disoriented but not comatose—The Journal of the American Medical Association
The Journal of the American Medical AssociationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share