What does "dislocate" mean?
To put something out of its usual place.
Dislocate
/dɪsˈloʊkeɪt/ verb
verb ·Uncommon ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To put something out of its usual place.
- Grammar: dislocate is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: clutter, defect creation, derange, disarrange.
- Useful contrasts: appoint, install, localise.
- Usage evidence: I don't know what to do if I dislocate a finger.
How to use "dislocate"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "dislocate" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "dislocate" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "dislocate" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "dislocate" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "dislocate" is acting as verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "clutter" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "dislocate", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To put something out of its usual place.
- 2 put out of its usual place, position, or relationship wordnet
- 3 To emotionally jar, unsettle, or disorient.
"Jarman is out to shock us, not only with some explicit sexuality (as much as he can get away with and still have his film funded by the BBC) but also with a dislocating juxtaposition of historical detail and sensibility."
- 4 move out of position wordnet
- 5 To (accidentally) dislodge a skeletal bone from its joint.
"Ne take noon hede to brynge togidere þe parties of þe boon þat is to-broken or dislocate, til viij. daies ben goon in þe wyntir, & v. in þe somer; for þanne it schal make quytture, and be sikir from swellynge; & þanne brynge togidere þe brynkis eiþer þe disiuncture after þe techynge þat schal be seid in þe chapitle of algebra."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"I don't know what to do if I dislocate a finger."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "dislocate"?
Common synonyms include: clutter, defect creation, derange, disarrange, disarray, disarticulate.
How do you use "dislocate" in a sentence?
I don't know what to do if I dislocate a finger.
How do you pronounce "dislocate"?
Pronounced /dɪsˈloʊkeɪt/.
Etymology
From dis- + locate.