French word

chambouler

Pronunciation

IPA/ʃɑ̃bule/

Meaning

  • verbconfuse

Example

La nouvelle a chamboulé toute la classe.

The news confused the whole class.

Illustration for chambouler (confuse)

More examples

Les imprévus peuvent chambouler les plans.

Unexpected events can disrupt the plans.

Core concept

A calm person or situation suddenly knocked off balance, leaving thoughts, feelings, or arrangements unsettled.

Common phrases

  • chambouler les plans

    disrupt the plans

  • chambouler quelqu'un

    confuse someone

  • chambouler la vie de quelqu'un

    turn someone's life upside down

Similar words

bouleverser: Create powerful emotional turmoil or serious disorder.
perturber: Disrupt an established process or order and cause problems.
troubler: Cloud peace of mind with anxiety or confusion.
déstabiliser: Shake the stability of a person or organization.

Definition in French

Signifie troubler profondément une personne ou une situation et provoquer confusion, émotion ou désordre.

Word origin

Chambouler is formed from chamboule-tout, the name of a game in which objects are knocked down, and extends that image to people and situations.

Usage tips

  • Chambouler takes a direct object, as in chambouler quelqu'un or chambouler une situation, without the preposition à.

Other meanings

  • disruptverb
  • mess upverb
  • upsetverb

Opposites

Related words

  • chamboulementupheavalnoun
  • chamboulédisruptedadjective
  • chamboulantunsettlingadjective

Word lists with this word