disorderly conduct

noun

: a petty offense chiefly against public order and decency that falls short of an indictable misdemeanor

Examples of disorderly conduct in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Jones and Story were charged with trespass after warning and disorderly conduct. —Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025

Seven people have been arrested so far this month for charges that include disorderly conduct, harassment and assault. —Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2025

All 13 activists, ranging in age from 19 to 28, were initially charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and disturbing the peace. —Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 10 Oct. 2025

Last Thursday, Sortor was jailed in Portland after police arrested him on suspicion of disorderly conduct. —Jo Yurcaba, NBC news, 9 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for disorderly conduct

• abduct
• construct
• deduct
• destruct
• induct
• instruct
• obstruct
• aqueduct
• deconstruct
• reconstruct
• bucked
• chucked

Legal Definition

disorderly conduct

noun

dis·​or·​der·​ly conduct

: conduct that is likely to lead to a disturbance of the public peace or that offends public decency

also : the petty offense of engaging in disorderly conduct compare breach of the peace

Note: The term disorderly conduct is used in statutes to identify various acts against the public peace. It has been held to include the use of obscene language in public, the blocking of public ways, and the making of threats. A statute must identify acts that constitute disorderly conduct with sufficient clarity in order to avoid being held unconstitutional because of vagueness.