disarray

noun

dis·ar·ray | \ ˌdis-ə-ˈrā

Definition of disarray

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a lack of order or sequence : confusion, disorder the room was in disarray … the disarray of paper in the In-Out basket …— Jackie Weger

2 : disorderly dress : dishabille

disarray

verb

disarrayed; disarraying; disarrays

Definition of disarray (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to throw into disorder The discarded magazines and newspapers, the layers of dust and disarrayed rugs …— Gloria Naylor

2 : undress

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about disarray

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of disarray in a Sentence

Noun

The room was in disarray. The company has fallen into complete disarray.

Verb

he had accidentally disarrayed his brother's CDs, leaving a telltale sign of borrowing without permission

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Yet on day three, when Gorder visited, the room was still very much in disarray. — Lucia Tonelli, ELLE Decor, "Watch the Drabbest Rooms Become Fab on Best Room Wins Episode Three," 16 May 2019 Back in Riverdale, Hiram’s quarantine has been lifted, but the town is in semi-apocalyptic disarray with no sheriff and limited contact with the outside world. — Emma Dibdin, Harper's BAZAAR, "Riverdale Just Came Dangerously Close to Killing Archie," 17 Jan. 2019 Then, on the eve of the World Cup, Real appointed Julen Lopetegui, the Spain coach, to replace him, sending the country’s campaign in Russia into disarray, and prompting fury from the Spanish Football Federation. — Rory Smith, New York Times, "Ronaldo Leaves Real Madrid to Join Juventus," 10 July 2018 Confronted with such confounding disarray, coach Tyronn Lue couldn’t coax a championship lineup to save his life. — Bruce Jenkins, San Francisco Chronicle, "Warriors, Celtics: It feels like a collision course," 15 May 2018 The five-time defending division champs are in disarray, faced with their largest deficit after 28 games since 1967. — Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY, "Why the Dodgers will respond vigorously to Corey Seager's season-ending loss," 1 May 2018 Brexit is threatening to put Britain into disarray. — Justin Lahart, WSJ, "The One Sure Thing About Trade," 27 Dec. 2018 Mere hours later, as the Judiciary Committee was gearing up to vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination, Flake threw all of that into disarray. — Emily Stewart, Vox, "Everything that’s happened since the Ford-Kavanaugh hearing, explained," 2 Oct. 2018 The stabbing of Jair Bolsonaro, one of the leading candidates in Brazil's presidential elections, has thrown the race into disarray, making an already unpredictable contest even harder to call. — Sarah Dilorenzo, Fox News, "A look at top candidates in Brazil's presidential race," 7 Sep. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

In this one, the first of a series published from 1935 to 1961, readers are introduced to a nervous Londoner named Pongo Twistleton, whose orderly life is disarrayed by the visit of his peremptory and mischievous uncle Fred from the country. — Jesse Green, New York Times, "Review: Surprise Lessons From John Lithgow’s ‘Stories by Heart’," 11 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'disarray.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.