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
Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Sep. 2024
Difficulty with emotional regulation is one possibility, but Caspi suspects the common thread is disordered thought: cognitive distortions that might take the form of delusions in psychosis, irrational fears in anxiety, knee-jerk negativity in depression, or intrusive thoughts in OCD.
—Ingrid Wickelgren, Scientific American, 4 Mar. 2024
Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 16 Oct. 2024
Recovery from substance use disorder, for Gregory Gourdet, involves running.
—Ashia Aubourg, Outside Online, 13 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for disorder 
Verb
On a molecular level, sarcomeres—proteins that aid contraction—were shorter and disordered after space exposure, and cells’ mitochondria, responsible for energy production, had become deformed.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Sep. 2024
Difficulty with emotional regulation is one possibility, but Caspi suspects the common thread is disordered thought: cognitive distortions that might take the form of delusions in psychosis, irrational fears in anxiety, knee-jerk negativity in depression, or intrusive thoughts in OCD.
—Ingrid Wickelgren, Scientific American, 4 Mar. 2024
Noun
Independent of learning disorders or other factors that may be hindering learning, there are a few central factors that help explain why some children show a stronger aptitude or love of reading than other kids.
—Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 16 Oct. 2024
Recovery from substance use disorder, for Gregory Gourdet, involves running.
—Ashia Aubourg, Outside Online, 13 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for disorder
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 25 Oct. 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
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