Meanings
present singular third person disconcerts · participle present disconcerting · participle past disconcerted · past disconcerted
- transitiveTo upset the composure of; to startle.
The embrace disconcerted the daughter-in-law somewhat, as the caresses of old gentlemen unshorn and perfumed with tobacco might well do.
1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 4, in Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLCSynonyms: disturb, unsettle, rattle, agitate, freak, sting, bother, bring down
- A state of disunion.
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo upset the composure of; to startle.
verbTo bring into confusion.
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Middle Frenchdesconcerter
- Englishdisconcert
From Middle French desconcerter, from des- (“dis-”) + concerter (“to bring into agreement, organize”).
More words from Middle French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian разстройвам, обърквам
- разстройвам (razstrojvam)upset the composure
- обърквам (obărkvam)bring into confusion
- дезорганизирам (dezorganiziram)bring into confusion
- смущавам (smuštavam)frustrate
Dutch verstoren, verwarren
- verstorenupset the composure
- verwarrenupset the composure
- in de war brengenupset the composure
- verstorenbring into confusion
- verwarrenbring into confusion
- in de war brengenbring into confusion
- doorkruisenfrustrate
- verstorenfrustrate
- verijdelenfrustrate
German verwirren, stören
- verwirrenbring into confusion
- störenfrustrate
- vereitelnfrustrate
Hindi विक्षोभकारी, विक्षोभकारी
- विक्षोभकारी (vikṣobhkārī)upset the composure
- विक्षोभकारी (vikṣobhkārī)bring into confusion
- विक्षोभकारी (vikṣobhkārī)frustrate
Māori whakapōhēhē, kōnatunatu
- whakapōhēhēbring into confusion
- kōnatunatubring into confusion
Scottish Gaelic cuir tro-chèile
- cuir tro-chèilebring into confusion
Spanish desconcertar
- desconcertarbring into confusion
Welsh taflu rhywun oddi ar ei echel, taflu rhywun oddi ar ei echel
- taflu rhywun oddi ar ei echelupset the composure
- taflu rhywun oddi ar ei echelbring into confusion
Cite this entry
disconcert. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/disconcert
“disconcert.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/disconcert. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “disconcert,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/disconcert.
Source: disconcert on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.