dislocate

American  

[dis-loh-keyt, dis-loh-keyt] / ˈdɪs loʊˌkeɪt, dɪsˈloʊ keɪt /

verb (used with object)

dislocates, present (3rd person singular) dislocated, past participle, past dislocating present participle

1. to put out of place; put out of proper relative position; displace.

   The glacier dislocated great stones. The earthquake dislocated several buildings.

2. to put out of joint or out of position, as a limb or an organ.

3. to throw out of order; upset; disorder.

   Frequent strikes dislocated the economy.

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noun

1. Gymnastics. a maneuver on the rings in which a gymnast in an inverted pike position turns over to swing down while pushing the arms out and turning them so that the palms are facing out when the body turns over.

dislocate British  

/ ˈdɪsləˌkeɪt /

verb

1. to disrupt or shift out of place or position

2. to displace (an organ or part) from its normal position, esp a bone from its joint

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• undislocated
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• dislocating
  present
• dislocated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• dislocate
  simple
• dislocates
  simple
• have dislocated
  perfect
• has dislocated
  perfect
• am dislocating
  progressive
• are dislocating
  progressive
• is dislocating
  progressive
• have been dislocating
  perfect progressive
• has been dislocating
  perfect progressive

Past

• dislocated
  simple
• had dislocated
  perfect
• was dislocating
  progressive
• were dislocating
  progressive
• had been dislocating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will dislocate
  simple
• will have dislocated
  perfect
• will be dislocating
  progressive
• will have been dislocating
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of dislocate

1595–1605; < Medieval Latin dislocātus (past participle of dislocāre ), equivalent to Latin dis- dis- ¹ + locātus placed; see locate

Explanation

To dislocate is to move something out of its correct or regular place, or disrupt it. When a family moves to a new town, it dislocates the kids, and if you throw a bowling ball, you might dislocate your shoulder. A hurricane can dislocate boats, beach homes, and sea creatures, and a football injury can also dislocate your shoulder — moving the bone out of the joint in which it normally sits. It's painful to dislocate a bone, and it can be painful in a different way when circumstances dislocate your life. The Latin root is dislocare, "put out of place," from dis-, "away," and locare, "to place."

Example Sentences

Moreover, political instability could dislocate the supply chains for minerals on which Carpenter’s operations depend.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

"I tripped over a step in the garden and managed to, somehow, dislocate my ankle; break my tibia and fibula; and rip two ligaments off the bone. What the heck," said Archibald.

From BBC • Jun. 20, 2024

He’d dislocate fingers in practice and pop them back in like nothing happened.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 7, 2023

Will giving birth be a beautiful if intense experience or will you hemorrhage, dislocate your pelvis or require an emergency C-section?

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2022

The two boys dislocate and grin at each other.

From "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" by J.K. Rowling