disheveled 1 of 2

adjective

di-ˈshev-əld How to pronounce disheveled (audio)
variants or dishevelled
Definition of dishevelednext
as in messy
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness I got my suit pressed so I wouldn't look so disheveled for the wedding

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

disheveled

2 of 2

verb

variants or dishevelled
past tense of dishevel
as in disrupted
to undo the proper order or arrangement of decorations for the garden wedding that had been disheveled by the wind

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disheveled
Adjective
But in mid-July, Jackie was found weak, disheveled and unable to fly on the north shore of the lake after a scuffle with two younger eagles. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026 Graham could sometimes come off as a disheveled mess of a man. — Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026
Verb
Boots were made to look deliberately disheveled, with tiny ladybirds across them. — ABC News, 24 June 2026 As for the sweatpants, the wide-leg silhouette is roomy but not disheveled, and the drawstring waist is easy to adjust. — Shea Simmons, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disheveled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disheveled
  1. messy
  2. disrupted
  3. chaotic
  4. confused
  5. littered
  6. disturbed
  7. filthy
  8. shuffled
Adjective
  • Emmet Fraizer investigates the uncertain future (and messy recent past) of the beloved science publication.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The request was the latest salvo in the messy war where Ghost is suing Wilson for defamation, and Wilson is pursuing counterclaims against the producers for alleged bullying, intimidation, and breach of contract.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of messy
Verb
  • The president said SpaceX CEO Elon Musk lifted restrictions on Ukraine’s access to Starshield, but Ukrainian soldiers said the service was still disrupted Friday.
    — Victoria Craw, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Common signs include low energy, disrupted sleep, mood changes and loss of motivation.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of disrupted
Adjective
  • The tightness of White’s control over his arrangements can occasionally foreclose the sense of chaotic freedom inherent to his more collaborative efforts.
    — Ryan Meehan, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Now that Texas Tech has also suffered a conference loss, we are headed towards a wild final week of October, which will lead to a chaotic month of November as teams fight for a spot in the college football playoff.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of chaotic
Verb
  • Rosa got confused and brought up the glass of red to Carolyn’s cabin instead.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Christina Applegate’s recent revelation that she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis is raising questions about how the disease can be confused with other conditions even after years of treatment.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of confused
Adjective
  • In the past, her songs were so littered with personal details that listening felt voyeuristic.
    — Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 31 Mar. 2026
  • The series does not touch on the tabloid attention that followed the Beckhams in 2004, when it was alleged that David had an affair with his personal assistant, Rebecca Loos, and the many further accusations of cheating that littered gossip columns after.
    — Scarlett Harris, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
Definition of littered
Verb
  • An officer responded to PSA, and police said about two pallets of cards were stolen from the truck and a third was disturbed.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • As one of the most effective natural sinks for carbon, peatlands could accelerate climate change if disturbed.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturbed
Adjective
  • Everybody wants to bring back trip-hop, but no one remembers how filthy Dummy actually sounds.
    — Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2026
  • When the drop comes in, there’s this really filthy synth bass.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of filthy
Verb
  • It’s been more than a year since Ozzy Osbourne shuffled off this mortal coil.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 26 Oct. 2026
  • There will more players shuffled off the roster — such as free agents Jonathan India and Luke Maile, among others.
    — Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of shuffled

Browse Nearby Words

dishevel
disheveled
disheveling
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Disheveled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disheveled. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of reticent

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All