Standard Lemma guide

derange

verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /dɪˈɹeɪnd͡ʒ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /diˈɹeɪnd͡ʒ/
  • rhymes with -eɪndʒ
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH0 R EY1 N JH Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To cause (someone) to go insane or become deranged.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Qualifier: chiefly passive voice

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To cause disorder in (something); to distort from its ideal state.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To cause to malfunction or become inoperative.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To disrupt (somebody's) plans, to inconvenience; to derail.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

throw into great confusion or disorder

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Fundamental Islamicists threaten to perturb the social order in Algeria and Egypt

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: perturb, throw out of kilter

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: disorder, disarray

6

verb

Meaning 6

derange mentally, throw out of mental balance; make insane

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The death of his parents unbalanced him

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: unbalance

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: madden, craze

History

Etymology

From French déranger, from Old French desrengier (“throw into disorder”), from des- + rengier (“to put into line”), from reng (“line, row”), from a Germanic source. See rank (noun).

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: побърквам (pobǎrkvam) — to cause someone to go insane
  • Catalan: pertorbar — to cause someone to go insane
  • Czech: rozrušit — to cause someone to go insane
  • Finnish: tehdä hulluksi — to cause someone to go insane
  • Macedonian: избе́зуми (izbézumi) — to cause someone to go insane
  • Macedonian: по́луди (póludi) — to cause someone to go insane
  • Spanish: trastornar — to cause someone to go insane
  • Spanish: perturbar — to cause someone to go insane
  • Bulgarian: разбърквам (razbǎrkvam) — to cause disorder in something, to distort it from its ideal state
  • Bulgarian: размествам (razmestvam) — to cause disorder in something, to distort it from its ideal state
  • Finnish: sekoittaa — to cause disorder in something, to distort it from its ideal state
  • Macedonian: на́руши (náruši) — to cause disorder in something, to distort it from its ideal state
  • Macedonian: ра́стура (rástura) — to cause disorder in something, to distort it from its ideal state
  • Russian: расстро́ить (rasstróitʹ) — to cause disorder in something, to distort it from its ideal state
  • Spanish: hacer derranchar — to cause disorder in something, to distort it from its ideal state
  • Bulgarian: обърквам (obǎrkvam) — to disrupt somebody's plans, to inconvenience someone
  • Macedonian: на́руши (náruši) — to disrupt somebody's plans, to inconvenience someone
  • Macedonian: возне́мири (voznémiri) — to disrupt somebody's plans, to inconvenience someone