How to Use discombobulate in a Sentence

discombobulate

verb
  • Kavya tugs on my arm, her nose is scrunched up, eyebrows discombobulated.
    — Navdeep Singh Dhillon, Parents, 21 Aug. 2025
  • The Bears offense was discombobulated at best for much of the first half.
    — Dan Wiederer, chicagotribune.com, 8 Aug. 2019
  • Now is, of course, a discombobulating moment to be writing about marathons.
    — Gretchen Reynolds, New York Times, 18 Mar. 2020
  • But none have quite the staying power of discombobulate.
    — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Teams are now pressing more and more, hoping to cause turnovers and discombobulate offenses.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 30 Nov. 2025
  • To completely discombobulate him, someone like me heaving all over him with lips and eyes and bosom, to turn this nerd.
    — Vulture, 29 Dec. 2022
  • The 49ers’ offense was discombobulated for most of the night.
    — Ann Killion, SFChronicle.com, 11 Nov. 2019
  • Arizona State became discombobulated for a stretch in the first half, but wore the Aggies down to pull away.
    — USA TODAY, 1 Sep. 2017
  • Authorities said a beam of light aimed at an aircraft could discombobulate and even temporarily blind the pilot in the cockpit.
    — Matt Bruce, ajc, 30 July 2022
  • With this kind of wind, you get really easily discombobulated.
    — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 23 Feb. 2026
  • The view is discombobulating at first, the modern and ritzy clashing with the traditional and sacred, yet that image sums up Japan.
    — Brian Ashcraft, WIRED, 22 June 2009
  • This has been, understandably, discombobulating for anyone caught up in the maelstrom.
    — Alexander Fury, Harper's BAZAAR, 30 Oct. 2017
  • So for all of you stressed and discombobulated drivers out there, consider giving classical a try during your morning drop-off or commute.
    — Zachary Przystup, Christian Science Monitor, 18 June 2025
  • Scientists have known for years about bony fish, sharks, worms, jellies, corals, and other marine creatures that light up to attract mates, lure prey, or discombobulate predators.
    — Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 24 Aug. 2021
  • Jackson Merrill is too talented to be this discombobulated much longer.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
  • But the new arrivals in Kampala are discombobulated and often poorly informed.
    — chicagotribune.com, 5 July 2017
  • The Gators, meanwhile, came out discombobulated and missed assignments during their first three offensive plays.
    — Mike Bianchi, orlandosentinel.com, 17 Oct. 2019
  • Does springing forward in early March leave you feeling discombobulated during your commute?
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Hatchlings are also easily discombobulated by artificial lights, which can lure them inland instead of to the water’s edge.
    — Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Apr. 2020
  • Tariffs may slow economic growth, discombobulate markets and boost inflation.
    — Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026
  • Like the fill-in-the-blank game where random words are inserted to generate wacky outcomes, Minnesota’s kicking game seems to come up with different ways to discombobulate.
    — Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 23 Nov. 2019
  • Meanwhile, Thielow’s camera captures her kids in tender moments, clinging to her or sometimes discombobulated by their mother’s absence.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 12 Sep. 2025
  • But after Jason advises him to speak with the guests about dinner, in order to better prepare for their expectations, the pressure only seems to discombobulate him further.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
  • However, the system has been discombobulated already, and the impact is likely to reach the Thanksgiving holiday.
    — Zach Wichter, USA Today, 11 Nov. 2025
  • The lone note of comic relief in Westworld continues to be Lee Sizemore, totally out of his depth and discombobulated when the arrows start flying.
    — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 20 May 2018
  • Meantime, the Spartans looked completely discombobulated on offense, with errant passes, flying wide and disrupting the flow.
    — Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press, 22 Feb. 2023
  • Still, the margin was narrow until Oregon, whose speedy offense had discombobulated Wisconsin, blended a series of free throws with some jumpers to build a comfortable lead.
    — Alan Blinder, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2020
  • The menu feels discombobulated without the distinct personality that distinguishes a four-star restaurant.
    — Michael Bauer, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Apr. 2018
  • But in fleshing out the list of lures that draw mosquitoes to humans, researchers may be on their way to developing more powerful repellents, including some that could discombobulate the bugs’ navigation skills.
    — Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Feb. 2020
  • The effect is at first exhilarating, then discombobulating, then exhausting.
    — Elisabeth Egan, New York Times, 1 June 2018

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'discombobulate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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