1
: lack of order
clothes in disorder
2
: breach of the peace or public order
troubled times marked by social disorders
3
: an abnormal physical or mental condition
a liver disorder
a personality disorder
Synonyms
Examples of disorder in a Sentence
Verb
be careful not to disorder the carefully arranged contents of the dresser
Noun
The mayor is concerned that a rally could create public disorder.
problems of crime and social disorder
Millions of people suffer from some form of personality disorder.
Recent Examples on the Web
John Timmer, Ars Technica, 19 Sep. 2023
Winningham sings, and in light of Elizabeth’s plight — a woman with a mind disordered by grief — the words have a coincidental authority.
—Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 11 Dec. 2023
Beyond her athletic prowess, Britton Wilson is an impassioned advocate for women’s mental health in sports, drawing from her battles with anxiety, depression, disordered eating, and body dysmorphia.
—Allyson Felix, Glamour, 26 Sep. 2023
Our father’s behavior was disordered and occasionally violent.
—Rachel Cusk, Harper's Magazine, 10 Sep. 2023
Hotter days are associated with anxiety, anger, irritability, disordered sleep, and violent crime; as temperatures rise, so do suicide attempts and overdose deaths.
—Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2023
Many people develop negative associations with eating due to various factors such as stress, trauma, or disordered eating habits.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 14 Aug. 2023
Some have pointed out that the grazing isn’t enough satisfy their own appetites and, in some cases, could be masking disordered eating.
—Jessica Roy, New York Times, 8 July 2023
Other areas of the Middle East are too disordered for American aid, threats, or entreaties to have much of an effect.
—F. Gregory Gause Iii, Foreign Affairs, 22 Feb. 2022
Leslie Baumann, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2024
The patient, a 72-year-old man with a blood disorder, failed to mount a strong immune response to multiple Covid shots before catching the omicron variant in February 2022.
—Jason Gale / Bloomberg, TIME, 19 Apr. 2024
Public health experts say substance use disorders can incapacitate a previously diligent parent and lead to the involvement of child protective services.
—Emily Baumgaertner, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2024
Dushi was found in poor physical condition with clear behavioral disorders because of her confinement.
—Erin Clements, Peoplemag, 19 Apr. 2024
Some probiotics may worsen the digestive symptoms of people with underlying digestive disorders or introduce new symptoms to otherwise healthy people.
—Sarah Anzlovar, Ms, Verywell Health, 19 Apr. 2024
Eager to make progress, the governor successfully advocated for changes to the law to permit compelling people with severe mental illness and substance disorders into care.
—Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024
The disorder can also make people much more prone to developing other serious health problems such as coronary heart disease, heart failure and stroke.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2024
People diagnosed with cancer, multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic stress disorder and more, all qualify.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Apr. 2024
Verb
The structure explains why things remain disordered outside of a complex.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 19 Sep. 2023
Winningham sings, and in light of Elizabeth’s plight — a woman with a mind disordered by grief — the words have a coincidental authority.
—Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 11 Dec. 2023
Beyond her athletic prowess, Britton Wilson is an impassioned advocate for women’s mental health in sports, drawing from her battles with anxiety, depression, disordered eating, and body dysmorphia.
—Allyson Felix, Glamour, 26 Sep. 2023
Our father’s behavior was disordered and occasionally violent.
—Rachel Cusk, Harper's Magazine, 10 Sep. 2023
Hotter days are associated with anxiety, anger, irritability, disordered sleep, and violent crime; as temperatures rise, so do suicide attempts and overdose deaths.
—Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2023
Many people develop negative associations with eating due to various factors such as stress, trauma, or disordered eating habits.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 14 Aug. 2023
Some have pointed out that the grazing isn’t enough satisfy their own appetites and, in some cases, could be masking disordered eating.
—Jessica Roy, New York Times, 8 July 2023
Other areas of the Middle East are too disordered for American aid, threats, or entreaties to have much of an effect.
—F. Gregory Gause Iii, Foreign Affairs, 22 Feb. 2022
Noun
Additionally, thyroid disorders may also be linked with inflammatory skin conditions.
—Leslie Baumann, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2024
The patient, a 72-year-old man with a blood disorder, failed to mount a strong immune response to multiple Covid shots before catching the omicron variant in February 2022.
—Jason Gale / Bloomberg, TIME, 19 Apr. 2024
Public health experts say substance use disorders can incapacitate a previously diligent parent and lead to the involvement of child protective services.
—Emily Baumgaertner, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2024
Dushi was found in poor physical condition with clear behavioral disorders because of her confinement.
—Erin Clements, Peoplemag, 19 Apr. 2024
Some probiotics may worsen the digestive symptoms of people with underlying digestive disorders or introduce new symptoms to otherwise healthy people.
—Sarah Anzlovar, Ms, Verywell Health, 19 Apr. 2024
Eager to make progress, the governor successfully advocated for changes to the law to permit compelling people with severe mental illness and substance disorders into care.
—Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024
The disorder can also make people much more prone to developing other serious health problems such as coronary heart disease, heart failure and stroke.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2024
People diagnosed with cancer, multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic stress disorder and more, all qualify.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disorder.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near disorder
Cite this Entry
“Disorder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disorder. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
disorder
1 of 2 verb
dis·or·der
(ˈ)dis-ˈȯrd-ər 
1
: to disturb the order of
2
: to disturb the regular or normal functions of
disorder
2 of 2 noun1
: lack of order : a state or condition without order
clothes in disorder
2
: an abnormal physical or mental condition : ailment
Medical Definition
disorder
1 of 2 transitive verb
dis·or·der
(ˈ)dis-ˈȯrd-ər, (ˈ)diz-
disordered; disordering
-ˈȯrd-(ə-)riŋ
: to disturb the regular or normal functions of
disorder
2 of 2 noun
: an abnormal physical or mental condition : ailment
an intestinal disorder
a nervous disorder
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share