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
They’re totally disoriented and frightened.
—
Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2025
The toxic algae leads to the neurotoxin domoic acid to work its way up the food chain, from fish to the sea lions and other marine life that eat them, which then leads to sea lions coming ashore disoriented with their mouths foaming and sometimes dead.
—Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2025
Interviews with investigators and other parties invested in these cases use shifting, disorienting focus to disguise people’s physical details.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 18 Mar. 2025
After 20 days in orbit, the fish became disoriented, swimming upside down or in circles, before eventually adapting to microgravity.
—Troy Aidan Sambajon, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disorient
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Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2025
The toxic algae leads to the neurotoxin domoic acid to work its way up the food chain, from fish to the sea lions and other marine life that eat them, which then leads to sea lions coming ashore disoriented with their mouths foaming and sometimes dead.
—Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2025
Interviews with investigators and other parties invested in these cases use shifting, disorienting focus to disguise people’s physical details.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 18 Mar. 2025
After 20 days in orbit, the fish became disoriented, swimming upside down or in circles, before eventually adapting to microgravity.
—Troy Aidan Sambajon, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Mar. 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 17 Apr. 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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