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
For someone who studied political science and theology, that shift has been disorienting. —
Nicole Russell, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026 The irony, of course, is that Handle are so locked into their own sense of logic that listening to the 27-minute album can be disorienting and frequently quite intense. —Shaad D’souza, Pitchfork, 20 Apr. 2026 Today’s weed isn’t just capable of making people giggly or disoriented. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 20 Apr. 2026 Light pollution can disorient them on their flight. —Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026 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.
Nicole Russell, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026 The irony, of course, is that Handle are so locked into their own sense of logic that listening to the 27-minute album can be disorienting and frequently quite intense. —Shaad D’souza, Pitchfork, 20 Apr. 2026 Today’s weed isn’t just capable of making people giggly or disoriented. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 20 Apr. 2026 Light pollution can disorient them on their flight. —Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disorient
Cite this Entry
“Disorient.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/disorient. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
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 Association
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