disorient

dis·ori·ent

verb \(ˌ)dis-ˈȯr-ē-ˌent\

Definition of DISORIENT

transitive verb

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

1. Thick fog can disorient even an experienced hiker.
2. <troops disoriented by the sudden change in battle plans>

Origin of DISORIENT

French désorienter, from dés- dis- + orienter to orient

First Known Use: 1655

Related to DISORIENT

Synonyms: addle, baffle, bamboozle, beat, befog, befuddle, bemuse, bewilder, buffalo, confound, discombobulate, confuse, flummox, fox, fuddle, get, gravel, maze, muddle, muddy, mystify, perplex, pose, puzzle, vex

Related Words: stick, stump, weird out; abash, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, mortify, nonplus, rattle; agitate, bother, chagrin, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distress, disturb, perturb, stun, unhinge, unsettle, upset; beguile, cozen, deceive, delude, dupe, fool, gull, hoax, hoodwink, humbug, misguide, mislead, snow, string along, take in, trick

Near Antonyms: assure, reassure, satisfy; enlighten, inform

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Rhymes with DISORIENT

coincident, experiment, ferro-cement, glove compartment, inconsequent, informed consent, misrepresent, nonresident, oxygen tent, privatdozent, rubber cement, self-confident, self-evident, sentence fragment, vice president