disoriented
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of disoriented
Explanation
To be disoriented is to feel lost or confused. People who are disoriented either don’t know where they are because they’ve lost their sense of direction, or they don’t know who they are because they’ve lost their sense of self. Disoriented people feel confused, particularly about place and purpose. If you’ve ever been lost in a new city, you’ve felt disoriented. If you bring a squirrel into your house, it’ll probably be disoriented and bonk into a wall. Getting a concussion could make you disoriented. Diseases like Alzheimer’s can make people feel disoriented. Being disoriented is a confusing, scary feeling. Disoriented comes from the French word that means "to turn from the east."
Vocabulary lists containing disoriented
The Kite Runner
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The Sea of Monsters
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The Unteachables
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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.
Tolerant readers will delight in the digressive nature of this inventive book, though others may be disoriented by a story that drastically switches gears before concluding.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
"If someone stops sweating, becomes disoriented or collapses, it can quickly become a medical emergency."
From BBC • May 28, 2026
Mary is disoriented and desperate, and the mere sight of her assures Sam that whatever favor Mary asks for, Sam can attach strings to.
From Salon • Apr. 24, 2026
“I was disoriented at first. It’s hard to step out of that go-go mentality.”
From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026
It disoriented me to hear the two men speaking, their voices overlapping in a low din.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
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.
