discombobulate
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Usage
Where does discombobulate come from? Discombobulate, meaning "to confuse, frustrate," sounds like something straight out of a cartoon. It was first recorded in the form discomboberate in the early 1800s, and apparently originated as a humorous imitation of hifalutin-sounding Latin words. We can also detect the influence of words with similar senses like discomfit or discompose in it.Many more amusing Americanisms await in our slideshow "These Wacky Words Originated In The USA."
Other Word Forms
- discombobulation noun
Etymology
Origin of discombobulate
An Americanism first recorded in 1825–35; fanciful alteration of discompose or discomfort
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Tariffs may slow economic growth, discombobulate markets and boost inflation.
From Los Angeles Times
They hugged one another and recounted slightly discombobulated stories of bullets ricocheting off cellphones and even someone’s teeth.
From Los Angeles Times
Perhaps she was still discombobulated from the fall, but Penelope had a nagging sense that Judge Quinzy’s tale did not quite add up.
From Literature
Melissa Otto, head of research at S&P Global Visible Alpha, said if Google was forced to sell Chrome it would have “completely discombobulated their business model.”
From Los Angeles Times
In fact, they're all so discombobulated by this thing that some of them are making monumental political gaffes trying to deal with it.
From Salon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
