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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tousled
Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
The sparkling animal prints, the tousled blonde waves, the radiant smiles — the duo look more like twins than mother and daughter in this shot from the 2017 premiere of Goldie's film Snatched.
—Sophie Dodd, PEOPLE, 19 Apr. 2026
The star, who was accompanied by a pal, was glowing in a bold red blouse and jeans, completing her look with smoky eyes, tousled tresses and a glossy nude lip.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
And her beauty looks, including perfectly tousled waves, glowy makeup, and a fabulous gold manicure, seamlessly transitioned from outfit to outfit.
—Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 13 Apr. 2026
Our editors have tested tons of tools—alongside expert recommendations—to find the hair wavers that make getting glossy, tousled texture almost too easy.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 18 Mar. 2026
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
Kristen Wiig looked effortlessly cool, thanks to Abergel, who tousled her hair using Virtue Labs products.
—Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 16 Mar. 2026
Whether it was tousled by hand or pulled back in a tortoiseshell headband, Bessette’s length and color followed the same effortless code of her wardrobe, leaving us with enduring hair inspiration even after her untimely passing.
—Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 5 Mar. 2026
Winn has a lean, tan face and tousled blond hair befitting his California lifestyle.
—Sarah Todd, STAT, 20 Feb. 2026
Her hair was bleach blonde, tousled and pulled back for the mirror selfie.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025
In that original viral campaign launch video, a bearded Platner, his strawberry blonde hair tousled, introduced Maine voters to the issues central to his platform, namely, broad economic populism, taxing billionaires, and universal healthcare.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Emin’s masterpiece thumbed its nose at a tradition of recumbent feminine flesh on tousled white sheets (think Titian’s Venus of Urbino, Manet’s Olympia, or any number of bosomy Lucian Freud nudes).
—Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
The sparkling animal prints, the tousled blonde waves, the radiant smiles — the duo look more like twins than mother and daughter in this shot from the 2017 premiere of Goldie's film Snatched.
—Sophie Dodd, PEOPLE, 19 Apr. 2026
The star, who was accompanied by a pal, was glowing in a bold red blouse and jeans, completing her look with smoky eyes, tousled tresses and a glossy nude lip.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
And her beauty looks, including perfectly tousled waves, glowy makeup, and a fabulous gold manicure, seamlessly transitioned from outfit to outfit.
—Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 13 Apr. 2026
Our editors have tested tons of tools—alongside expert recommendations—to find the hair wavers that make getting glossy, tousled texture almost too easy.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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
Kristen Wiig looked effortlessly cool, thanks to Abergel, who tousled her hair using Virtue Labs products.
—Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 16 Mar. 2026
Whether it was tousled by hand or pulled back in a tortoiseshell headband, Bessette’s length and color followed the same effortless code of her wardrobe, leaving us with enduring hair inspiration even after her untimely passing.
—Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 5 Mar. 2026
Winn has a lean, tan face and tousled blond hair befitting his California lifestyle.
—Sarah Todd, STAT, 20 Feb. 2026
Her hair was bleach blonde, tousled and pulled back for the mirror selfie.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025
In that original viral campaign launch video, a bearded Platner, his strawberry blonde hair tousled, introduced Maine voters to the issues central to his platform, namely, broad economic populism, taxing billionaires, and universal healthcare.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tousled
Adjective
-
But even chips are absent from the formal agenda because the politics are too messy.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
14 May 2026
-
Just to make things even messier and more over-plotted, Sylvie notices a light on for five days straight in an upper-floor apartment, reporting to the cops her concern that the old man who lives there might have died.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Water pressure is building back up in the Oakland County, Michigan, communities affected by a 42-inch water main that broke early Sunday and disrupted service.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
-
But last month, as Iran’s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz disrupted exports from other nations, that proportion surged to 18%, Xu said.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
His earliest mature paintings, often filled with snarling creatures arranged in chaotic formations, started to include monochromatic backgrounds that became a staple in his art.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
11 May 2026
-
Alongside the duo’s elevation, the raging crowds for Yeat’s live shows became both electric and chaotic.—
Miki Hellerbach,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
At first, Liza Ginette was distraught and confused at her children’s silence.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
-
The red, purple or sometimes gold root vegetable — not to be confused with its white cousin, the sugar beet — is low-calorie and packed with nutrients and compounds linked to benefits, ranging from brain health to athletic performance.—
Teresa Mull,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
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
Verb
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She has also been disturbed by the increase in what looks to her like a lack of trust in science, as seen in falling vaccination rates and rising instances of diseases like measles.—
Deepti Hajela,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
When to Plant Watermelon Seeds Most seed catalogs recommend direct sowing watermelon seeds into gardens or pots because watermelons don’t like to have their roots disturbed.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
These Amazon finds are made for petite travelers who want to stay comfortable without defaulting to sloppy sweats.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
14 May 2026
-
Spurs seemed to run out of energy and their passing became sloppy.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Conservation and breeding efforts shuffled three giraffes around Colorado zoos this year — one returning home to Denver after months away, another joining the Denver herd and a third finding a new home in Colorado Springs, according to zoo officials.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
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Carlos Mendoza isn’t to blame, nor are this group of players, who are being shuffled around the field like Yahtzee dice.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tousled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tousled. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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