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Showing results for "disconcerted"
Synonyms

disconcerted

American  
[dis-kuhn-sur-tid] / ˌdɪs kənˈsɜr tɪd /

adjective

  1. disturbed, as in one's composure or self-possession; perturbed; ruffled.

    She was disconcerted by the sudden attack on her integrity.

  2. bewildered or confused, as by something unexpected.

    The class was disconcerted by the instructor's confusion.


disconcerted British  
/ ˌdɪskənˈsɜːtɪd /

adjective

  1. perturbed, embarrassed, or confused

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of disconcerted

First recorded in 1630–40; disconcert ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )


Explanation

A concert is a choreographed harmony of sounds but throw the prefix "dis" in front it and you have the opposite: disconcerted — a word used to describe someone whose composure has been disturbed or unsettled. Disconcerted is a combination of the French prefix des- which indicates reversal and the word concerter meaning "bring together," so something disconcerted is not brought together, but rather torn apart, or thrown into confusion. If you are under a lot of stress or worried about something, you're in a disconcerted or discombobulated state. Take a breath. Relax a moment. Everything will be OK.

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Vocabulary lists containing disconcerted

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.

See Examples For:

Even Emily Blunt was publicly disconcerted, begging Hollywood agencies to “please stop taking away our human connection.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2026

Augustine struggled with Perpetua, disconcerted by her sex, her visions and her popularity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 19, 2025

They are disconcerted by the prospect of apex predators roaming their territory, including on popular trails.

From Seattle Times ● May 17, 2024

Even Danny Danon, a Netanyahu ally and former Israeli ambassador to the U.N. who recently predicted a peace agreement with Saudi Arabia in 2023, seemed disconcerted.

From Washington Times ● Mar. 11, 2023

Debussy’s 'Gardens in the rain’, though, was composed in 1903, a good thirty years after the Impressionist painters had first begun exhibiting their works to a disconcerted Parisian public.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

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