51³Ô¹Ï

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View synonyms for

discombobulate

[ dis-kuhm-bob-yuh-leyt ]

verb (used with object)

discombobulated, discombobulating.
  1. Informal. to confuse or disconcert; confound; bewilder:

    The speaker was completely discombobulated by the hecklers.

    Synonyms: , , , , , ,



discombobulate

/ ËŒ»åɪ²õ°ìÉ™³¾Ëˆ²úÉ’²úÂáÊŠËŒ±ô±ðɪ³Ù /

verb

  1. informal.
    tr to throw into confusion
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other 51³Ô¹Ï Forms

  • »å¾±²õ·³¦´Ç³¾Â·²ú´Ç²ú·³Ü·±ô²¹Â·³Ù¾±´Ç²Ô [dis-k, uh, m-bob-y, uh, -, ley, -sh, uh, n], noun
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51³Ô¹Ï History and Origins

Origin of discombobulate1

An Americanism first recorded in 1825–35; fanciful alteration of discompose or discomfort
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51³Ô¹Ï History and Origins

Origin of discombobulate1

C20: probably a whimsical alteration of discompose or discomfit
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

In the words of my late mother, I am discombobulated.

From

Tariff tumult has discombobulated them only because they didn’t take Trump seriously when he fantasized at campaign rally after rally about “tariffing†the heck out of foreign imports.

From

I have added “discombobulated†to that ongoing list and type of guide to the long Trumpocene.

From

The Glaswegian looked so discombobulated by the heckle that another audience member asked him if he was okay.

From

"It was very discombobulating because they just carried on with their shift," said Greenwood.

From

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More About Discombobulate

Where does discombobulate come from?

Discombobulate, meaning “to confuse, frustrate,†sounds like something straight out of a cartoon. It was first recorded in the form discomboberate in the early 1800s, and apparently originated as a humorous imitation of hifalutin-sounding Latin words. We can also detect  the influence of words with similar senses like discomfit or discompose in it.

Many more amusing Americanisms await in our slideshow “These Wacky 51³Ô¹Ïs Originated In The USA.â€

Did you know … ?

Discombobulate has some shorter (but arguably less-fun-to-say) synonyms in , , and .

Straighten all this discombobulation out with more synonyms on Thesaurus.com. Try the word , for starters.

Discombobulate also has some notable pop culture connections. The score of the 2009 film Sherlock Holmes features a track entitled “Discombobulate,†composed by Hans Zimmer. That title takes its name from a line spoken by the title character during a memorable boxing match, which spawned a meme known as Discombobulate.

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