disorient
Americanverb (used with object)
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to cause to lose one's way.
The strange streets disoriented him.
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to confuse by removing or obscuring something that has guided a person, group, or culture, as customs, moral standards, etc..
Society has been disoriented by changing values.
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Psychiatry. to cause to lose perception of time, place, or one's personal identity.
Etymology
Origin of disorient
1645–55; < French désorienter, equivalent to dés- dis- 1 + orienter to orient
Explanation
To disorient is to confuse or cause to lose all sense of direction. Stepping off an airplane halfway around the world in the middle of the night will disorient even the most experienced traveler. Disorient comes from the French désorienter, which means "to lose one's bearings" but literally translates to "to turn from the east." The Latin root is orientem, "the part of the sky where the sun rises." When we orient ourselves, we get our bearings, figuring out which direction we're facing. It disorients you to lose track of where you are, or to feel befuddled or confused: "That medicine always disorients my cat, making him stumble around bumping into things"
Vocabulary lists containing disorient
Lesson 2
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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.
He uses overhead shots and camera angles and plays with focus to displace or disorient viewers.
From Salon • Dec. 8, 2023
Activists have been calling on buildings to turn off bright lights, which can disorient birds.
From BBC • Oct. 10, 2023
She’s not afraid to disorient an audience — or to disgust them.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 1, 2023
After a series of early missteps, Russia reportedly moved some electronic-warfare systems to the front lines in Ukraine, aiming to disorient and disable Ukrainian drones before they could reach their targets.
From Washington Times • May 20, 2023
Here on earth, orienting yourself depends on the feeling you get from the pull of gravity, plus your vision. just being blindfolded is enough to disorient some people.
From The Flying Saucers are Real by Keyhoe, Donald E. (Donald Edward)
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.
