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Glite Dictionary
to disorientate

to disorientate

5.7
To make someone lose their sense of direction or feel confused
  • verb
  • /ˌdɪsˈɔːrɪənˌteɪt/
  • UK
translation icon : desorientar
  • The sudden change in environment can disorientate travelers who are not familiar with the area.

But I, I sometimes think he's quite good at disorientating the audience.

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Examples

  • Driver out the front, two to three through the door, neutralise the desk clerk, dominate the room and disorientate the security.

    The Sweeney (2012)

  • Still, it must be a bit disorientating.

    The Iron Lady (2011)

  • Their pattern shows that his flight was disorientated.

    Mr. Holmes (2015)

  • But I, I sometimes think he's quite good at disorientating the audience.

    Variety

  • Disorientating beauty juxtaposed between life and death... and shoes.

    Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (2016)

  • She disorientated, she hit her head on the corner of the table there, she's talking rubbish.

    No Reasons (2016)

  • In severe dementia, patients become disorientated, lose all memory of loved ones and friends, and may appear to revert to a childlike state.

    Academic text (2011)

  • The loud noise from the construction site disorientated the students, making it hard for them to concentrate.

  • When he got up too quickly, he felt disorientated and had to sit down to regain his bearings.

Synonyms

to confuse
vsto disorientate
266 1.9

Make someone unable to think clearly or make something hard to understand

focuses specifically on causing loss of directional or situational sense
to perplex
vsto disorientate
35 6.3

To make someone confused and unable to understand

centres on losing spatial orientation rather than intellectual puzzlement
to bewilder
vsto disorientate
29 5.3

Make someone very confused and unable to think clearly

adds a spatial sense, focusing on where someone is or what is happening
to confound
vsto disorientate
22 7.0

Make someone unable to think clearly

is more about disrupting someone's sense of place and orientation
to disorient
vsto disorientate
22 5.2

To make a person feel confused about where they are or what to do

has identical meaning and is an alternate form
to befuddle
vsto disorientate
11 7.8

To make someone very confused so they cannot think clearly

is more about losing spatial orientation rather than general mental muddle
to flummox
vsto disorientate
7 8.6

To confuse someone so they do not know what to do or think

is narrower, stressing loss of directional sense rather than general bewilderment
to dizzy
vsto disorientate
7 2.8

To make someone feel unsteady and as if the room is turning

emphasizes losing sense of direction rather than only physical unsteadiness
to discombobulate
vsto disorientate
  • Informal
6 9.9

To confuse someone so they cannot think clearly

leans more toward losing one's sense of place or direction
to throw off balance
vsto disorientate
4 5.4

To make someone feel confused or unsure after a sudden change

highlights misplacing one's sense of direction rather than just feeling unsettled
to make your head spin
vsto disorientate
  • Informal
4 7.0

To leave someone feeling overwhelmed or confused by too much information

stresses confusion about position or direction rather than information overload
to fluster
vsto disorientate
3 5.5

To make someone nervous so they cannot think clearly

is less about nerves and more about being unsure of location or situation
to make head spin
vsto disorientate
  • Informal
3 7.4

To cause someone to feel confused or overwhelmed by too much information

focuses specifically on losing orientation about place or situation
to daze
vsto disorientate
2 4.3

To make someone confused and unable to think clearly

relates more to being lost in place or direction than stunned confusion
to discomfit
vsto disorientate
  • Formal
1 8.4

To make someone feel uncomfortable, confused, or embarrassed

relates more to physical or situational disorientation than social unease
to consternate
vsto disorientate
  • Archaic
1 9.9

To make someone feel sudden shock and worry

is focused on losing sense of direction rather than provoking alarm

Antonyms

to clarify
248 3.3

To make something clear so others can understand it

to orientate
  • UK
6.5

To find your position and get used to a new place or situation

How Confusing

to bewilder
29 5.3
to disorientate
  • UK
5.7
to perplex
35 6.3
to confuse
266 1.9

Surface Forms

disorientate infinitive
disorientated past
disorientated past participle
disorientating present participle
disorientates third person singular

Morphology

disorientate = orientate (transparent) = dis + orient + ate

Adding 'dis-' to 'orientate' straightforwardly gives the meaning of causing loss of orientation or confusion.

Etymology

Disorientate comes from the prefix dis- meaning 'not' and orient meaning 'to find direction' (it once meant 'east', where the sun rises). So, to disorientate someone is to make them 'not find their direction' or feel confused.