discombobulate

[ dis-kuh m-bob-yuh-leyt ]
/ ˌdɪs kəmˈbɒb yəˌleɪt /

verb (used with object), dis·com·bob·u·lat·ed, dis·com·bob·u·lat·ing.

to confuse or disconcert; upset; frustrate: The speaker was completely discombobulated by the hecklers.

Origin of discombobulate

1825–35, Americanism; fanciful alteration of discompose or discomfort

OTHER WORDS FROM discombobulate

dis·com·bob·u·la·tion, noun

Example sentences from the Web for discombobulation

  • And this bit of information that they had discovered that started the discombobulation process of Nixon – the stuff about Colson.

    David Frost on Frost/Nixon |The Daily Beast |December 6, 2008 |DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for discombobulation

discombobulate
/ (ˌdɪskəmˈbɒbjʊˌleɪt) /

verb

(tr) informal, mainly US and Canadian to throw into confusion

Word Origin for discombobulate

C20: probably a whimsical alteration of discompose or discomfit