disheveled
adjective
Did you know?
These days, the adjective disheveled is used to describe almost anything or anyone marked by disorder or disarray. Rumpled clothes, for example, often contribute to a disheveled appearance, as in Colson Whitehead’s novel Crook Manifesto, when the comedian Roscoe Pope walks onstage “disheveled, in wrinkled green corduroy pants.” Apartments, desks, bedsheets, you name it—all can be disheveled when not at their neatest and tidiest. Hair, however, is the most common noun to which disheveled is applied (along with hairdo terms like bun and beard), a fact that makes etymological sense. Disheveled comes from the Middle English adjective discheveled, meaning “bareheaded” or “with disordered hair.” That word is a partial translation of the Anglo-French word deschevelé, a combination of the prefix des- (“dis-“) and chevoil, meaning “hair.”
Examples of disheveled in a Sentence
Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026
When creating the outfits for the first 2001 Bridget Jones cast, Fleming sought to give Jones — whose diary entries detailed her romantic adventures, weight, and alcohol and cigarette consumption — a pragmatic, somewhat disheveled look that would feel relatable to busy women.
—Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
There’s even a scene change to a jail common room, which shows a gray and disheveled Diddy tuning into 50’s acceptance speech.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 11 Feb. 2026
Spanx AirEssentials Crewneck Tunic A simple crewneck sweater can take your airport look from disheveled to elevated.
—Taylor Fox, Travel + Leisure, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disheveled
Cite this Entry
“Disheveled.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disheveled. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
Copy Citation
