French word

désorienter

Pronunciation

IPA/dezoʁjɑ̃te/

Meaning

  • verbconfuse

Example

Cette remarque me désoriente.

That remark confuses me.

Illustration for désorienter (confuse)

More examples

En arrivant dans la nouvelle ville, je me suis désorienté.

When I arrived in the new city, I got lost.

Core concept

A person suddenly loses the mental bearings needed to decide how to respond.

Common phrases

  • se désorienter

    get lost

  • désorienter les voyageurs

    disorient travelers

Similar words

déconcerter: To make someone momentarily unsure how to deal with a situation.
troubler: To disturb someone's thoughts or feelings and make them lose their composure.

Definition in French

Mettre quelqu'un dans l'incertitude face à une situation, provoquer hésitation ou perplexité chez cette personne.

Word origin

Désorienter combines dés-, expressing removal or reversal, with orienter, a verb related to the idea of finding direction.

Usage tips

  • Désorienter takes a direct object, as in "Cette remarque me désoriente," where me means the person affected.

Other meanings

  • bewilderverb
  • disorientverb

Opposites

Related words

  • désorientationdisorientationnoun
  • désorientantdisorientingadjective

Word lists with this word