Synonyms of tousled

tousled 1 of 2

adjective

as in messy

lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness

a tousled pile of yarn and material scraps at the bottom of her craft box

Synonyms & Similar Words

• messy
• chaotic
• littered
• confused
• sloppy
• shaggy
• rumpled
• disheveled
• mussed
• jumbled
• cluttered
• filthy
• unkempt
• dirty
• tangled
• tumbled
• untidy
• mussy
• messed
• disarranged
• disordered
• disarrayed
• muddled
• wrinkled
• disorderly
• stained
• out of joint
• at sixes and sevens
• knotted
• blackened
• uncombed
• higgledy-piggledy
• smudged
• hugger-mugger
• pell-mell
• spotted
• topsy-turvy
• upside-down
• bedraggled
• grimy
• draggled
• nasty
• dingy
• grungy
• soiled
• slovenly
• begrimed
• grubby
• unclean
• frowsy
• squalid
• mucky
• sullied
• contaminated
• slatternly
• uncleanly
• dowdy
• polluted
• foul
• grotty
• tainted
• snarled
• adulterated
• cruddy
• befouled
• besmirched
• shabby
• sloven
• neglected
• defiled
• bemired
• negligent
• neglectful
• sordid
• seedy
• sleazy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• orderly
• trim
• tidy
• neat
• organized
• crisp
• cleaned
• uncluttered
• clean
• well-ordered
• sparkling
• immaculate
• kempt
• spotless
• shipshape
• ordered
• unsullied
• snug
• stainless
• hygienic
• systematic
• cleanly
• antiseptic
• unsoiled
• regular
• spick-and-span
• methodical
• tidied
• careful
• neatened
• systematized
• meticulous
• combed
• manicured
• fussy
• fastidious
• finicky
• bandbox
• groomed
• wholesome
• untainted
• unpolluted
• undefiled
• well-groomed
• taintless

tousled

2 of 2

verb

past tense of tousle

as in disrupted

to undo the proper order or arrangement of

his grandfather would always tousle the boy's neatly combed hair

Synonyms & Similar Words

• disrupted
• confused
• disturbed
• shuffled
• mussed
• disheveled
• jumbled
• disarranged
• rumpled
• scrambled
• disorganized
• disordered
• upset
• muddled
• deranged
• dislocated
• mixed (up)
• tumbled
• disjointed
• disarrayed
• tangled
• snarled
• hashed
• discomposed
• messed (up)
• perturbed
• unsettled
• cluttered
• embroiled
• stirred (up)
• entangled
• agitated

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• organized
• arranged
• regulated
• ordered
• disposed
• ranged
• straightened (up)
• aligned
• lined
• drew up
• arrayed
• adjusted
• tidied
• classified
• lined up
• marshaled
• fixed
• codified
• systematized
• made up
• queued
• groomed
• methodized
• systemized
• spruced (up)
• unscrambled

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of tousled

Adjective

Aptly named after Abdalla’s character, the Allie-Cat cut echoes Allie Hayes’s effortless confidence with shaggy layers of tousled brunette waves with golden-blonde highlights that had fans swooning for more than just hot hockey players. — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 20 Oct. 2026

His long, tousled hair, stubble, withering gaze, and ever-present cigarette gave him an air of punk-rock danger. — Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026

Embodying the punk-rock vibes Vivienne Westwood’s brand was founded on, Lyonne was done up with graphic black smoky eyes, while her red hair was tousled and voluminous. — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 4 Oct. 2026

Wild And Free Shag Lots of layers, short bangs, and a tousled style make this a shag Joan Jett would approve of. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2026

With her hair cut into a tousled lob and a pair of oval sunglasses perched on her face, her take felt a little more relaxed. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 26 Sep. 2026

The star wore dark eye makeup and her hair had been styled into loose, tousled waves. — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026

Completed with a wide lace choker and tousled hair, the romantic dress was also the first glimpse into Versace’s next chapter. — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026

Sea salt gives hair that tousled texture, while red microalgae extract helps counteract the drying effects of salt. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 28 Aug. 2026

Verb

Remember to break up the curls with your fingers to give your hair that tousled look, and finish with plenty of hairspray. — María Diez, Glamour, 26 Sep. 2026

Anderson was spotted with her platinum bob tousled and tangled at the Tory Burch fall 2026 ready-to-wear show during New York Fashion Week in February, too. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026

After rejoining the platform on January 1, 2025, Meghan wished Harry a happy birthday last September 15 by sharing a throwback photo of Harry in uniform, his hair tousled. — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 15 Sep. 2026

Son’s hair got tousled and nobody wearing black and gold could stop smiling. — Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2026

They were also joined in the auditorium by Boris Kudrin, who plays their teenage son Seryozha — at one point Mazurov tousled Kudrin’s hair. — Brent Lang, Variety, 19 May 2026

His hair is frosted at the tips, carefully tousled; his eyes are alert, amused, ever-probing. — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 13 Apr. 2026

Her signature copper red hair, styled by Halley Brisker, was worn softly tousled down her back. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2026

Kardashian, 45, showed off a pair of ice-blue contact lenses and wore her chocolate brown hair tousled across her shoulders. — Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 18 Mar. 2026