Word
disorientation
Phoneticsdis·ori·en·ta·tion
US/dɪˌsɔɹiənˈteɪʃən/
UK/dɪsˌɔːɹiəntˈeɪʃən/
Definition
n. a feeling of being lost or confused about where you are or what is happening. It often happens when you are in a new place or after you wake up.
n. a state of confusion or lack of awareness regarding one's position, direction, or surroundings. Often results from sensory deprivation, fatigue, or unfamiliar environments.
Examples
“The thick fog caused a sense of disorientation among the hikers.”
“After the long flight across several time zones, she felt a mild disorientation that lasted for several hours.”
“The protagonist's gradual disorientation serves as a narrative device to mirror the reader's own confusion as the plot's logic begins to unravel.”
Examples
simple
“The thick fog caused a sense of disorientation among the hikers.”
contextual
“After the long flight across several time zones, she felt a mild disorientation that lasted for several hours.”
complex
“The protagonist's gradual disorientation serves as a narrative device to mirror the reader's own confusion as the plot's logic begins to unravel.”
Real-World Examples
“This, along with an effect of unintelligible speech, would likely make the visitor feel a sense of disembodiment and disorientation.” Etymology
From dis- + orientation or perhaps disorientate + -ation.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/disorientation