disorient
verb
dis·ori·ent
(ˌ)dis-ˈȯr-ē-ˌent 
disoriented; disorienting; disorients
1
a
: to cause to lose bearings : displace from normal position or relationship
b
: to cause to lose the sense of time, place, or identity
2
: confuse
Examples of disorient in a Sentence
Thick fog can disorient even an experienced hiker.
troops disoriented by the sudden change in battle plans
Recent Examples on the Web
Van Wessel chose to have these pictures fold in on themselves, with some running over to the following pages, creating the effect of a disorienting scroll without beginning or end.
—
Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2025
People threw punches, kicked and jeered as a man on the ground tried in vain to fend off the blows and a woman tumbled to the concrete, bloody and disoriented.
—Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 30 July 2025
Over the past few years, this change has felt relentless, unpredictable and often disorienting.
—Amy Shoenthal, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
The darkness and footsteps were dizzying, disorienting.
—Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for disorient
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Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2025
People threw punches, kicked and jeered as a man on the ground tried in vain to fend off the blows and a woman tumbled to the concrete, bloody and disoriented.
—Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 30 July 2025
Over the past few years, this change has felt relentless, unpredictable and often disorienting.
—Amy Shoenthal, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
The darkness and footsteps were dizzying, disorienting.
—Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for disorient
Cite this Entry
“Disorient.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disorient. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
disorient
verb
dis·ori·ent
(ˈ)dis-ˈōr-ē-ˌent
-ˈȯr-
: to cause to be confused or lost
Medical Definition
disorient
transitive verb
dis·ori·ent
(ˈ)dis-ˈōr-ē-ˌent, -ˈȯr-
: to produce a state of disorientation in : disorientate
the next day the patient was disoriented but not comatose—The Journal of the American Medical Association
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