What does "dislocation" mean?
The act of displacing, or the state of being displaced.
Dislocation
/dɪsləʊˈkeɪʃn̩/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of displacing, or the state of being displaced.
- Grammar: dislocation is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: abstraction, alienation, anarchy, bone displacement.
- Useful contrasts: alignment, be located, be located at.
- Usage evidence: Tom has a posterior hip dislocation.
How to use "dislocation"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "dislocation" 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 "dislocation" 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 "dislocation" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "dislocation" 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 "dislocation" is acting as noun 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 "abstraction" 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.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "dislocation", 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
Noun
- 1 The act of displacing, or the state of being displaced. countable, uncountable
"As mentioned last month in the article "Railways and the War," the emergency timetables were planned in view of the possibility of serious dislocation of transport by air raids in the early days of the war, and were regarded as the minimum service which would keep the activities of the country alive."
- 2 the act of disrupting an established order so it fails to continue wordnet
- 3 The displacement of parts of rocks or portions of strata from the situation which they originally occupied. countable, uncountable
- 4 an event that results in a displacement or discontinuity wordnet
- 5 The act of dislocating, or putting out of joint; also, the condition of being thus displaced. countable, uncountable
"They used steroids to build strength but, more importantly, to recover from strains, pulls, dislocations."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 a displacement of a part (especially a bone) from its normal position (as in the shoulder or the vertebral column) wordnet
- 7 A linear defect in a crystal lattice. Because dislocations can shift within the crystal lattice, they tend to weaken the material, compared to a perfect crystal. countable, uncountable
- 8 A sentence structure in which a constituent that could otherwise be either an argument or an adjunct of a clause occurs outside of and adjacent to the clause boundaries. countable, uncountable
- 9 In men's gymnastics, a rotating of the shoulders when performing a backwards turn on the still rings. Many skills in acrobatics appear to involve dislocating a joint, when they actually do not. countable, uncountable
"The practice of contortion can be divided into three categories: backbending, frontbending and dislocation."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Tom has a posterior hip dislocation."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "dislocation"?
Common synonyms include: abstraction, alienation, anarchy, bone displacement, breakdown, chaos.
How do you use "dislocation" in a sentence?
Tom has a posterior hip dislocation.
How do you pronounce "dislocation"?
Pronounced /dɪsləʊˈkeɪʃn̩/.
Etymology
From Middle English, from Old French, a borrowing from Medieval Latin dislocātiō, delocatio.