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
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
But Signal Confidence Corporate leaders appear increasingly disoriented from massive shakeups in global markets and political power dynamics.
—
Forbes Research, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
One of the most disorienting things about doing press for this book is how intellectually people want to tackle the book, almost across the board.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 8 Apr. 2025
The toxic algae leads to the neurotoxin domoic acid to work its way up the food chain, from fish to the sea lions and other marine life that eat them, which then leads to sea lions coming ashore disoriented with their mouths foaming and sometimes dead.
—Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2025
The administration’s quick pace of detention and deportation has similarly disoriented attorneys.
—Eric Levenson, CNN, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disorient
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Forbes Research, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
One of the most disorienting things about doing press for this book is how intellectually people want to tackle the book, almost across the board.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 8 Apr. 2025
The toxic algae leads to the neurotoxin domoic acid to work its way up the food chain, from fish to the sea lions and other marine life that eat them, which then leads to sea lions coming ashore disoriented with their mouths foaming and sometimes dead.
—Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2025
The administration’s quick pace of detention and deportation has similarly disoriented attorneys.
—Eric Levenson, CNN, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disorient
Cite this Entry
“Disorient.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disorient. Accessed 22 Apr. 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
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