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

See Examples For:

dislocate dislocates dislocated dislocating

"I'm not going to say he's out, but I think it'd be doubtful if you dislocate your shoulder," Italy coach John Davison told reporters.

From Barron's ● Feb. 9, 2026

It would destroy the economy, dislocate millions of Americans and destabilize the globe.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 6, 2023

When players tear a knee ligament or dislocate a shoulder, when they wobble away from a jarring collision, trainers help them to the sideline and play resumes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 5, 2023

Melanie Hartshorn, 33, of Cramlington, Northumberland, has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome which causes her skull to dislocate from her neck and spine.

From BBC ● Nov. 26, 2022

The jolt might’ve been enough to dislocate her bad shoulder.

From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan

They "come to be recognised only in limited ways, and any political act immediately dislocates them from the US".

From BBC ● Feb. 13, 2026

Unfortunately, minutes into his triumphant return, he dislocates two fingers after swiping right too overzealously.

From Salon ● Mar. 6, 2021

Bellinger dislocates his shoulder after a home run.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2020

I have seen shows featuring such clothing before, but there is something about how they are presented here, as objects in their own right, that dislocates you, makes you look anew.

From The Guardian ● Feb. 19, 2020

Haie laughs so much that he dislocates his jaw, and suddenly stands there helpless with his mouth wide open.

From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque

Jayden Daniels was the second pick of that 2024 draft behind Williams and he left Washington's defeat at Dallas with a serious injury to the same elbow he dislocated last season.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026

Instead, she stands up, pops her dislocated shoulder back into its socket and grimly declares to the shocked classmate filming her, “This is Claire Bennet, and that was attempt No. 6.”

From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2026

The remaining bill of the year was for my 2-year-old’s emergency room visit for a dislocated elbow.

From Slate ● Apr. 25, 2026

“Tankers are out of position, supply chains dislocated, and the task of re-aligning vessels with loading and discharge points may create a logistical bottleneck in the weeks ahead.”

From Barron's ● Apr. 22, 2026

It was a good plan, but when I tried to actually get my arm out of the mummy bag, I flailed around like a fish out of water, and nearly dislocated my shoulder.

From "Looking for Alaska" by John Green

“We see the shape of hiring changing some of these skills and backgrounds, but at the same time, we don’t see it dislocating the need for having great individuals with deep, critical-thinking skills,” Narayan said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026

She comes to Milan-Cortina as the reigning world champion and the favourite for gold, and says she's "good to go" despite dislocating her shoulder in early January.

From BBC ● Feb. 2, 2026

Barcelona midfielder Dani Olmo faces a month on the sidelines after dislocating his shoulder, the club said Wednesday.

From Barron's ● Dec. 3, 2025

The surgery, which tennis star Andy Murray also had, involves dislocating the upper end of the thighbone, trimming it, capping it and removing cartilage before putting it back in place.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 28, 2023

And yet for Justice the return to Pikeville has been almost as dislocating as moving out of foster care and into that octagonal bedroom all those years ago.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times