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 Supergirl doesn’t quite want to deal with the immensity of its protagonist’s feelings; her drunken stupor is often played for laughs, defined by disheveled hair, big sunglasses, and plenty of slurred speech. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 26 June 2026 The attacks paralyzed Davis as authorities searched for a suspect before detaining and arresting a disheveled Dominguez in May, days after the first fatal attack. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 23 May 2026
Verb
Sturch said Columbo is not as disheveled in the theater version as Falk later presented him. — Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026 These evocative, volcanic islands, cast adrift off the northeast coast of Sicily, remain salted, fresh, and gloriously disheveled. — Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 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. sloppy
  8. shuffled
Adjective
  • Entrepreneurship or a portfolio of roles feels messier than earning a regular salary because the risk is more visible.
    — Henrik Totterman, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • Many real texts from family members are short, rushed and a little messy.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of messy
Verb
  • The dangerous temperatures have already disrupted several events scheduled for Friday.
    — Erin McGarry, NBC news, 3 July 2026
  • The overlap of two warming patterns — one regional and one climate-scale — could compound stress on marine food webs that have already been repeatedly disrupted over the past decade.
    — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Definition of disrupted
Adjective
  • Interview with the Vampire’s composer Daniel Hart has taken the audience on a wonderfully chaotic journey through different styles of music in The Vampire Lestat.
    — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • The events surrounding the funeral were chaotic, with eight people killed and hundreds injured, according to a report written by the Associated Press news agency at the time.
    — Xiaoqian Lin, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Definition of chaotic
Verb
  • When major international events bring millions of visitors unfamiliar with local customs, leaving guests confused by unexpected pricing practices.
    — Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
  • An executive at the sneaker company Vans has issued an apology after a collaboration with the streetwear brand Fugazi was confused for a collaboration with the legendary — and legendarily anti-consumerist — punk band Fugazi.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 6 July 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
  • The location of the digging also could have disturbed another grave that may now be unmarked.
    — Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2026
  • Home to North America’s tallest mountain, Denali's six million acres of wilderness are disturbed by only one road.
    — Josh Laskin, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026
Definition of disturbed
Adjective
  • England looked disjointed and sloppy for much of the first half, while Congo was bright and creative with the ball and held England at bay defensively.
    — Bailey Johnson, Washington Post, 1 July 2026
  • The regulars were middle-aged men who routinely drank five or six cocktails after work and were only rarely sloppy.
    — Meghan O’Gieblyn, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
Definition of sloppy
Verb
  • Sarah was sent to a mental hospital, and the boys were shuffled among family members, ending up with their penniless grandmother in Kentucky.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 3 July 2026
  • As soon as the game wrapped up, those guests shuffled out, and hours later were replaced by a rowdier group ordering shots at the bar, dancing to 2000s hits in front of the DJ booth and smoking vape pens on the outdoor patio.
    — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 1 July 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 9 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on disheveled

Nglish: Translation of disheveled for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tacit

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

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

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

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
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
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All