verb
- to confuse someone or make someone feel uncomfortable
(Cambridge Dictionary)

The word discombobulate first developed as a nonsense word. The Oxford Dictionary (OED) says it was probably some variant of either discompose or discomfit, both of which generally mean disturbed or agitated. THE OED also cites the noun form – discombobulation – from a sports newspaper in New York: "Finally, Richmond was obliged to trundle him, neck and heels, to the earth, to the utter discombobulation of his wig."

Discombobulate is often applied in a light-hearted fashion to suggest that someone is feeling uncomfortable, but not in a serious way. "To be in your 50s is discombobulating," he writes, "it gnaws at the psyche and maybe warps one's vision." (The Guardian)

Furthermore, The Dictionary of American Regional English and Cassell’s Dictionary suggest that the 'bob’ in 'discombobulate’ might originate from the 19th century word "bobbery" (1816), meaning a noisy disturbance or fight.

Another theory relates to the Italian word scombussolato, which can be loosely translated as craziness, disturbance. Despite the similarities between the words, there is no evidence that the Italian expression led to the English word.

Like with some words, trying to track down the real origin can be a discombobulating task.

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SYNONYMS

addled, baffled, befuddled, bewildered, confounded, disconcerted, disturbed, frustrated, mixed-up, muddled, perplexed

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Practice OWAD in a conversation:

"He was totally DISCOMBOBULATED on hearing news of the company's severe losses."