disorderly

1 of 2

adverb

dis·​or·​der·​ly (ˌ)dis-ˈȯrd-ər-lē 

(ˌ)diz-

archaic

: in a disorderly manner

disorderly

2 of 2

adjective

1

: engaged in conduct offensive to public order

charged with being drunk and disorderly

2

: characterized by disorder

a disorderly pile of clothes

disorderliness noun

Synonyms

Adjective

• anarchic
• anarchical
• lawbreaking
• lawless
• unruly

Examples of disorderly in a Sentence

Adjective

She was charged with being drunk and disorderly.

He was found guilty of disorderly conduct.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

More than 80 people were taken into custody in New York City last night after disorderly protesters threw bottles and traffic cones on streets in the vicinity of Foley Square in Lower Manhattan, the New York Police Department told Fox News on Wednesday. —Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 11 June 2025

Surprisingly, the creature left minor damages behind: a few disorderly shelves and an unpaid bill from his dine-and-dash stunt. —Rachel Flynn, People.com, 4 June 2025

The reality is the club, in a disorderly financial predicament, needs to make wholesale squad changes to compete next term. —Henry Flynn, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025

The release of the three men Saturday was particularly weighty in Israel because of the disorderly scenes that surrounded the release of two Israeli and five Thai hostages in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, on Thursday. —Mick Krever, CNN, 1 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

1560, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing disorderly

• disorderly conduct
• disorderly house

Rhymes for disorderly

• orderly

Kids Definition

disorderly

adjective

dis·​or·​der·​ly

(ˈ)dis-ȯrd-ər-lē

1

: not behaving quietly or well : upsetting public order : unruly

disorderly persons

disorderly conduct

2

: not neat or orderly

a disorderly mass of papers

disorderliness noun