disheveled 1 of 2

adjective

di-ˈshev-əld How to pronounce disheveled (audio)
variants or dishevelled
Definition of dishevelednext
as in messy
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness I got my suit pressed so I wouldn't look so disheveled for the wedding

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

disheveled

2 of 2

verb

variants or dishevelled
past tense of dishevel
as in disrupted
to undo the proper order or arrangement of decorations for the garden wedding that had been disheveled by the wind

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disheveled
Adjective
Jennie threw it back to the 90s in a midriff-baring look that elevated disheveled dressing. — John Monaco, InStyle, 9 June 2026 But the disheveled populist quickly qualified his statement, as the crowd grew quiet again. — Liz Goodwin The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 25 May 2026
Verb
If Newsom has been spotted disheveled in public, show me the proof. — Maya Singer, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2026 Sturch said Columbo is not as disheveled in the theater version as Falk later presented him. — Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disheveled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disheveled
  1. messy
  2. disrupted
  3. chaotic
  4. confused
  5. littered
  6. disturbed
  7. sloppy
  8. shuffled
Adjective
  • Rather, a messy conflict oscillating between bouts of strikes and periods of relative calm beckons, while mediators look for new avenues to revive negotiations.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • This is an ideal arrangement for handling bulky or messy supplies for projects, or for letting maintenance personnel into the home to work on the mechanical systems.
    — James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2026
Definition of messy
Verb
  • Residents from Minnesota to Washington, DC, told CNN the noxious air has disrupted their lives, seeping into everything from their health and leisure to their businesses and family life.
    — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
  • The 1859 Carrington Event, the strongest geomagnetic storm on record, disrupted telegraph systems around the world and pushed auroras from their usual high-latitude skies near the Arctic and Antarctic to locations as far south as the tropics.
    — Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of disrupted
Adjective
  • If Spain keep cool, then Argentina run hot; a warm-blooded, emotional, often chaotic side where performances swing wildly within games, never mind from one match to the next.
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • In the chaotic main event, Cody Rhodes defeated Gunther by DQ when Sami Zayn interfered, escalating tensions ahead of Saturday's tag match.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
Definition of chaotic
Verb
  • And this isn't even the first time the USC athletic department has gotten its ancient Greek literature confused.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026
  • The Blazers say a handshake agreement with Mayor Keith Wilson, the city and the county was made in March, and are confused why there has been a shift.
    — Jason Quick, New York Times, 20 July 2026
Definition of confused
Adjective
  • In the past, her songs were so littered with personal details that listening felt voyeuristic.
    — Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 31 Mar. 2026
  • The series does not touch on the tabloid attention that followed the Beckhams in 2004, when it was alleged that David had an affair with his personal assistant, Rebecca Loos, and the many further accusations of cheating that littered gossip columns after.
    — Scarlett Harris, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
Definition of littered
Verb
  • As Jonas tries to get work done upstairs, he is repeatedly disturbed by his mother, who is obnoxiously kvelling about his scientific breakthroughs to a neighbor in the yard.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 18 July 2026
  • No matter how popular a priest is, we must be disturbed that the same man is being repeatedly accused.
    — Daily Southtown, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026
Definition of disturbed
Adjective
  • No one likes the sloppy tailoring of Octavius’s open-back suit, but Law loves the jacket.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 July 2026
  • This thick, brownish concoction, a kind of hot dog chili, is sloppy, packs some heat, and the fiery punch to the taste buds can be a surprise to the uninitiated.
    — USA TODAY Network, USA Today, 15 July 2026
Definition of sloppy
Verb
  • Bulldozers shuffled right through the rubble to make roads that cut Gaza into separate sections.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
  • And before several services shuffled their rankings earlier this week, no QB ranked inside the top 20.
    — Grace Raynor, New York Times, 16 July 2026
Definition of shuffled

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Cite this Entry

“Disheveled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disheveled. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on disheveled

Nglish: Translation of disheveled for Spanish Speakers

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