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dis·or·der | \ (ˌ)dis-ˈȯr-dər 
, (ˌ)diz- \
, (ˌ)diz- \disordered; disordering; disorders
Definition of disorder
(Entry 1 of 2)
disorder
nounDefinition of disorder (Entry 2 of 2)
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
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Synonyms & Antonyms for disorder
Synonyms: Verb
- confuse,
- derange,
- disarrange,
- disarray,
- discompose,
- dishevel,
- disjoint,
- dislocate,
- disorganize,
- disrupt,
- disturb,
- hash,
- jumble,
- mess (up),
- mix (up),
- muddle,
- muss,
- rumple,
- scramble,
- shuffle,
- tousle,
- tumble,
- upset
Synonyms: Noun
- chance-medley,
- chaos,
- confusion,
- disarrangement,
- disarray,
- dishevelment,
- disorderedness,
- disorderliness,
- disorganization,
- free-for-all,
- havoc,
- heck,
- hell,
- jumble,
- mare's nest,
- mess,
- messiness,
- misorder,
- muddle,
- muss,
- shambles,
- snake pit,
- tumble,
- welter
Antonyms: Verb
- arrange,
- array,
- dispose,
- draw up,
- marshal
- (also marshall),
- order,
- organize,
- range,
- regulate,
- straighten (up),
- tidy
Antonyms: Noun
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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.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Verb But even in the randomness of the routes to disorder taken by so many complex systems, science has found a regularity.
—
Martin Weil, BostonGlobe.com, "Mitchell Feigenbaum, an architect of chaos theory, dies at 74," 14 July 2019 But even in the randomness of the routes to disorder taken by so many complex systems, science has found a regularity.
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Martin Weil, Washington Post, "Mitchell Feigenbaum, an architect of chaos theory, dies at 74," 12 July 2019 Nadal is drawn to order and ritual, Kyrgios to disorder and the intoxication of improvisation.
—
Christopher Clarey, New York Times, "Rafael Nadal Doesn’t Fall for Nick Kyrgios’s Bag of Tricks," 4 July 2019 Democracies are also prone to disorder and corruption, but these are ineluctable features of any political system comprised of selfish and flawed human beings.
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Sean Illing, Vox, "Intellectuals have said democracy is failing for a century. They were wrong.," 20 Dec. 2018 He was arrested on charges of possessing intoxicants for unlawful purposes, possession of unlawful drug paraphernalia uses and activities, evading arrest and disordering conduct.
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Travis Fedschun, Fox News, "Man nicknamed 'Captain Jack Sparrow' huffed glue, kicked Tennessee cops, police say," 7 May 2018 The new guidance comes a day after President Donald Trump declared opioid use disorders a public health emergency and promised to accelerate the federal government’s response to the crisis.
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Michelle Hackman, WSJ, "Trump Administration Relaxes Medical Privacy Rule for Overdoses," 27 Oct. 2017 Her personality disorder has the power to disorder other people’s personalities.
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Wesley Morris, New York Times, "Sign Up for the Watching Newsletter," 18 Apr. 2016 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun People with those disorders have trouble processing sensory information.
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Amy Schwabe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Fiserv Forum's sensory rooms, sensory bags and staff training help guests cope when the games and shows are too overwhelming," 21 Nov. 2019 The Chase Family Movement Disorders Center is offering a caregiver support group for individuals who care for people with movement disorders and other neurodegenerative conditions.
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courant.com, "Community News For The Vernon Edition," 21 Nov. 2019 KC Ahlers was surprised to see this sign targeting his baby boy, who was born with two rare disorders.
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Harmeet Kaur, CNN, "A father put up flyers about his baby's rare disorders. 'Let the baby die,' someone responded," 19 Nov. 2019 Two are associated with neuropsychiatric disorders in humans.
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Diana Gitig, Ars Technica, "Are you a mouse who can’t let go of fear? Your microbiome might be the problem," 27 Oct. 2019 In fact, people with mental disorders are far more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators.
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Los Angeles Times, "Americans increasingly fear violence from people who are mentally ill. They shouldn’t," 10 Oct. 2019 Services lacking: In-patient mental health care around the country has seen a steep decline over the last couple decades, posing a problem for those afflicted with mental disorders looking for treatment.
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cleveland, "PA Gov. wants to join interstate compact to reduce carbon output: The Flyover," 4 Oct. 2019 Kids with sensory processing disorders can now find ultra-comfy unicorn or shark costumes at Target.
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Caitlin O'kane, CBS News, "Target launches adaptive Halloween costumes for kids with special needs," 2 Oct. 2019 The relatively slow construction timeline allows for consultation with mental health researchers and health professionals to ensure the units are suited for people with progressive neurological disorders.
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Amanda Shendruk, Quartzy, "How to redecorate homes for people with dementia," 19 Sep. 2019
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'disorder.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for disorder
disorder
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of disorder
: a confused or messy state : a lack of order or organization
: a state or situation in which there is a lot of noise, crime, violent behavior, etc.
medical : a physical or mental condition that is not normal or healthy
See the full definition for disorder in the English Language Learners Dictionary
disorder
verbdis·or·der | \ dis-ˈȯr-dər \
\disordered; disordering
Kids Definition of disorder
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to disturb the regular or normal arrangement or functioning of
You've disordered my papers.
disorder
nounKids Definition of disorder (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : a confused or messy state
His room was in complete disorder.
2 : unruly behavior
Recess monitors prevented any disorder.
3 : a physical or mental condition that is not normal or healthy
a stomach disorder
disorder
transitive verbdis·or·der | \ (ˈ)dis-ˈȯrd-ər, (ˈ)diz- \
\disordered; disordering\ -ˈȯrd-(ə-)riŋ \
\Medical Definition of disorder
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to disturb the regular or normal functions of
disorder
nounMedical Definition of disorder (Entry 2 of 2)
: an abnormal physical or mental condition : ailment an intestinal disorder a nervous disorder
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The first known use of disorder was in the 15th century
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