dislocate

verb

dis·​lo·​cate ˈdis-lō-ˌkāt 

-lə-;

(ˌ)dis-ˈlō- 

dislocated; dislocating; dislocates

transitive verb

1

: to put out of place

specifically : to displace (a bone) from normal connections with another bone

2

: to force a change in the usual status, relationship, or order of : disrupt

Synonyms

• budge
• displace
• disturb
• move
• relocate
• remove
• reposition
• shift
• transfer
• transpose

Examples of dislocate in a Sentence

She fell and dislocated her shoulder.

The new hotel will dislocate several businesses.

Thousands of workers have been dislocated by the latest economic crisis.

Recent Examples on the Web

Lee dislocated his left shoulder after crashing into the center-field wall — nearly the same spot where Matos made his catch — and was scheduled to see Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles for a second opinion. —Justice Delos Santos, The Mercury News, 17 May 2024

Four years ago, Abboud entered the Bel Air studio on the brink, having dislocated her back during childbirth and battled post-partum depression thereafter. —Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 25 Feb. 2024

Pumping his left fist as the ball dropped in, the California-native dislocated his shoulder. —Jack Bantock, CNN, 8 Apr. 2024

Meanwhile, the Knicks were without two of their best players on Tuesday: OG Anunoby (right elbow tendinopathy) and Julius Randle (dislocated right shoulder). —Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024

Linebacker Jerome Baker walked into the locker room with his right arm in a sling after dislocating his wrist. —Safid Deen, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2024

Randle has been out since dislocating his shoulder Jan. 27. —Chris Biderman, Sacramento Bee, 5 Apr. 2024

Just last July, for example, a man named Henry dislocated his shoulder after winning a game of Bonkers. —EW.com, 23 Mar. 2024

Kansas senior center Hunter Dickinson, who dislocated his right shoulder two weeks ago yet was able to play in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, shouldered the blame, so to speak, after the Jayhawks’ 89-68 second-round NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional loss to Gonzaga on Saturday afternoon at Delta Center. —Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 23 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin dislocatus, past participle of dislocare, from Latin dis- + locare to locate

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

dislocate

verb

dis·​lo·​cate ˈdis-lō-ˌkāt 

(ˈ)dis-ˈlō-

1

: to put out of place

especially : to displace (a bone) from normal connections with another bone

2

: disrupt

Medical Definition

dislocate

transitive verb

dis·​lo·​cate ˈdis-lō-ˌkāt  -lə-; (ˈ)dis-ˈlō-ˌkāt 

dislocated; dislocating

: to put (a body part) out of order by displacing a bone from its normal connections with another bone

he dislocated his shoulder

also : to displace (a bone) from normal connections with another bone

the humerus was dislocated in the fall