dislocation

American  

[dis-loh-key-shuhn] / ˌdɪs loʊˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

dislocations plural

1. an act or instance of dislocating.

2. the state of being dislocated.

3. Crystallography. (in a crystal lattice) a line about which there is a discontinuity in the lattice structure.

---

dislocation British  

/ ˌdɪsləˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of displacing or the state of being displaced; disruption

2. (esp of the bones in a joint) the state or condition of being dislocated

3. a line, plane, or region in which there is a discontinuity in the regularity of a crystal lattice

4. geology a less common word for fault

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• dislocations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of dislocation

1350–1400; Middle English dislocacioun; see dislocate, -ion

Compare meaning

How does dislocation compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• subluxation vs. dislocation

Explanation

Abruptly moving something (or someone) out of its usual place is dislocation. Cutting down the oak tree in your back yard will cause the dislocation of the birds that always build their nests in it. The word dislocation has several different meanings, but they all have something to do with displacement, moving something from its proper place. A joint dislocation happens when a bone is moved (painfully) out of its normal spot: "A common trampoline injury is elbow dislocation." Human dislocation can occur during war, or after a natural disaster forces people to move away from their homes. The Latin root is dislocare, "put out of place."

Example Sentences

“We believe this dislocation marks the most compelling entry point into the sector in a generation,” Wedbush said, pointing to potential growth drivers such as the U.S.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 1, 2026

“When that arm goes into that position, the brain remembers that was the position where that dislocation occurred,” ElAttrache told the Los Angeles Times at the time.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2026

“We also see the consolidation of our industry continuing and potentially accelerating, driven in part by some of the market dislocation that we are witnessing in private credit.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

All other asset segments are materially higher because there has been such a dislocation of vessels and origination points.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

For instance, heroes—superheroes—were born of ridiculous and unlikely circumstances: spider bites, chemical spills, planetary dislocation, and, in the case of Alfred T. Slipper, from accidental submersion in an industrial-size vat of cleaning solution called Incandesto!

From "Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures" by Kate DiCamillo

Related Words

• confusion
• disarray
• disconnection
• disorder
• disruption
• disturbance