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When you abash someone, you make them feel uncomfortable, ashamed, embarrassed, or inferior.
An abortive attempt or action is cut short before it is finished; hence, it is unsuccessful.
If someone is addled by something, they are confused by it and unable to think properly.
A state of anarchy occurs when there is no organization or order in a nation or country, especially when no effective government exists.
When something bedevils you, it causes you a lot of problems and difficulties over a period of time.
Bedlam is a situation with a great deal of noise and confusion.
If you are bemused, you are puzzled and confused; hence, you are lost or absorbed in puzzling thought.
If you are beset by something, you are experiencing serious problems or dangers because of it.
If something bewilders you, you are very confused or puzzled by it.
The adjective blithe indicates that someone does something casually or in a carefree fashion without much concern for the end result; as a result, they are happy and lighthearted.
When you experience chagrin, you feel embarrassed or annoyed because you have failed at something or have been let down in some way.
A chaotic state of affairs is in a state of confusion and complete disorder.
A cohesive argument sticks together, working as a consistent, unified whole.
Complacent persons are too confident and relaxed because they think that they can deal with a situation easily; however, in many circumstances, that is not the case.
If something confounds you, it makes you feel surprised and confused, often because it does not meet your predefined expectations.
To confute an argument is to prove it to be thoroughly false; to confute a person is to prove them to be wrong.
Consternation is the feeling of anxiety or fear, sometimes paralyzing in its effect, and often caused by something unexpected that has happened.
If something daunts you, it makes you worried about dealing with it because you think it will be very difficult or dangerous.
When you decipher a message or piece of writing, you work out what it says, even though it is very difficult to read or understand.
When you are in a state of disarray, you are disorganized, disordered, and in a state of confusion.
If something discomfits you, it makes you feel embarrassed, confused, uncomfortable, or frustrated.
If something disconcerts you, it makes you feel anxious, worried, or confused.
When someone feels disquiet about a situation, they feel very worried or nervous.
If you are distraught about a situation, you are very upset or worried about it.
If you elucidate something, you make it easier to understand by giving more relevant information.
Someone or something that is enigmatic is mysterious and difficult to understand.
Entropy is the lack of organization or measure of disorder currently in a system.
If you exhibit equanimity, you demonstrate a calm mental state—without showing upset or annoyance—when you deal with a difficult situation.
If you fathom something complicated or mysterious, you are able to understand it.
Frenetic activity is done quickly with lots of energy but is also uncontrolled and disorganized; someone who is in a huge hurry often displays this type of behavior.
The adjective halcyon can also refer to a period that was highly prosperous and golden.
When two people are in a harmonious state, they are in agreement with each other; when a sound is harmonious, it is pleasant or agreeable to the ear.
When there is havoc, there is great disorder, widespread destruction, and much confusion.
If someone is impassive, they are not showing any emotion.
If someone is imperturbable, they are always calm and not easily upset or disturbed by any situation, even dangerous ones.
If an idea or thought is incisive, it is expressed in a penetrating and knowledgeable manner that is clear and brief; additionally, it can demonstrate impressive understanding of related ideas or thoughts.
A melee is a noisy, confusing, hand-to-hand fight involving a group of people.
Someone who is nonchalant is very relaxed and appears not to be worried about anything.
If you are nonplussed, you are so surprised and confused that you are not sure what to do or say.
When you orient yourself to your surroundings, you make yourself more familiar with them or adjust to them.
Pandemonium is a very noisy and uncontrolled situation, especially one that is caused by a lot of angry or excited people.
When you are perplexed about something, you are completely confused or baffled by it.
Someone who demonstrates perspicacity notices or understands things very quickly.
If you are in a quandary, you are in a difficult situation in which you have to make a decision but don’t know what to do.
A state of quiescence is one of quiet and restful inaction.
If you are in a state of repose, your mind is at peace or your body is at rest.
When you resolve a problem, you solve it or come to a decision about it.
A sagacious person is wise, intelligent, and has the ability to make good practical decisions.
A serene place or situation is peaceful and calm.
Stasis is a state of little change over a long period of time, or a condition of inactivity caused by an equal balance of opposing forces.
If you are steadfast, you have a firm belief in your actions or opinions and refuse to give up or change them because you are certain that you are doing the right thing.
A stoic person does not show their emotions and does not complain when bad things happen to them.
If you are stolid, you have or show little emotion about anything at all.
A tempestuous storm, temper, or crowd is violent, wild, and in an uproar.
If something is tranquil, it is peaceful, calm, and quiet.
A tumultuous event or period of time is filled with great excitement, confusion, or violence; a tumultuous reaction to something is likewise very loud and noisy because people are happy and excited.
When you experience turmoil, there is great confusion, disturbance, instability, and disorder in your life.
To be unfazed is to not be affected by something that happens to you, even if it is quite embarrassing or bothersome.
When you are unflappable, you remain calm, cool, and collected in even the most trying of situations.
If something unnerves you, it makes you upset or nervous; it can also make you lose your courage because it frightens you so much.
Adj.
discombobulated
dis-kuhm-BOB-yuh-lay-tid
Context
Jack was so discombobulated or confused when he woke up in the hospital because he didn’t remember how he had gotten there. When the doctor asked him some easy questions, he looked discombobulated, uncomfortable, and distressed because he couldn’t remember anything. However, after a few days he returned to his calm, normal self, his memory returned, and he no longer felt discombobulated or unsettled.
Quiz:Try again!
How do you feel if you are discombobulated?
You feel anxious and frustrated because you are unprepared for something.
You feel calm and capable of tackling the challenges in your life.
You feel surprised and excited about a new opportunity.
Discomfort! Bob's Late!Bob felt discombobulated because he got lost on the way to his boss's party, which caused Bob great discomfort.
Examples
The quarterback got rattled, the running game got stuffed, the defense got discombobulated, and there was no question which team was superior.
—
Sports Illustrated
There is something very odd—almost discombobulated—about being surrounded by standing homes, plentiful food and all around privileged people when the memory of the devastation in Port-au-Prince is still so fresh in my mind.
—
CNN
When she arrives, she is clearly discombobulated. She excuses her anxiety and confusion by saying to the village aunties, "I'm tired. Jet lag. You understand?" They stare at her blankly.
—
NPR
Last Sunday, it seemed that the Browns had finally turned a corner following an impressive victory over AFC North rival Baltimore. Instead, Cleveland returned to looking completely discombobulated on Monday, with a series of bumbling miscues.
—
ESPN
This word is probably a fanciful alteration of the word “discomposed.” When one is discombobulated, one is certainly “discomposed,” that is, one is “thoroughly placed apart” from one’s usual settled state.
Word Constellation
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Related Words
abash+ ·
abortive ·
addle+ ·
anarchy+ ·
bedevil ·
bedlam ·
bemused+ ·
beset ·
bewilder+ ·
chagrin ·
chaotic ·
confound+ ·
confute* ·
consternation ·
daunt ·
disarray+ ·
discomfit+ ·
disconcert+ ·
disquiet ·
distraught+ ·
enigmatic ·
entropy+ ·
frenetic ·
havoc ·
melee* ·
nonplussed+ ·
pandemonium ·
perplexed+ ·
quandary ·
tempestuous ·
tumultuous ·
turmoil ·
unnerve ·
blithe ·
cohesive+ ·
complacent ·
decipher ·
elucidate ·
equanimity ·
fathom ·
halcyon+ ·
harmonious+ ·
impassive ·
imperturbable+ ·
incisive ·
nonchalant ·
orient+ ·
perspicacity ·
quiescence ·
repose+ ·
resolve+ ·
sagacious ·
serene ·
stasis ·
steadfast ·
stoic ·
stolid+ ·
tranquil ·
unfazed+ ·
unflappable+ ·
Similar sense
Opposite sense
Word Variants
discombobulate
v
→
to throw into a state of confusion
The section lists important variants and alternate definitions of the headword. Knowing variants will often help you both remember and understand the word. Not all variants are listed - only the ones we think that are important for you to know.
