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 Hernandez-Thorpe said that laws already exist and people can be cited for any number of violations connected with sideshows, including disorderly conduct, reckless driving, impeding an emergency vehicle and more. Judith Prieve, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2024 Schroeder, who was a seventh-grade math teacher at Grafton Middle School, pleaded guilty March 4 in Ozaukee County Circuit Court to three misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct/use of a dangerous weapon, according to online court records. Alec Johnson, Journal Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2024 Now, he’s charged with robbery, theft of property, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and criminal mischief. Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2024 In January, Boebert’s ex-husband Jayson Boebert was charged with assault, disorderly conduct, criminal trespass, and obstructing a peace officer for two fights in early January—one with the couple’s 18-year-old son, and another with the congresswoman at a restaurant in Silt, Colorado. Zachary Folk, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 The list of names at the front desk led police to Mays along with another man, who was also cited for disorderly conduct. Bill Lukitsch, Kansas City Star, 23 Feb. 2024 However, cops interpret disorderly conduct on a case-by-case basis. Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 10 Feb. 2024 Following his arrest, Young was taken into custody and later released on bonds of $250 for the disorderly conduct charge, $1,000 for the resisting arrest charge and $1,250 for the assault charge. Sarah Michaud, Peoplemag, 24 Jan. 2024 Fischer was charged with seven crimes, including assaulting an officer, engaging in disorderly conduct in a restricted area, and obstructing an official proceeding. Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disorderly conduct.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of disorderly conduct was in 1786

Dictionary Entries Near disorderly conduct

Cite this Entry

“Disorderly conduct.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disorderly%20conduct. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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.

More from Merriam-Webster on disorderly conduct

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