disciplined
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of disciplined
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; discipline + -ed 2
Explanation
People who are disciplined are either rule-followers or they are controlled and efficient. A disciplined runner who's training for a marathon has a regular, daily exercise routine. Your disciplined puppy might be the star of her obedience class, the very best at "sit" and "stay." And your cousin who speaks six languages is also disciplined — she studies, reads, and practices speaking for hours every day. Disciplined comes from the noun discipline, which has come to mean "punishment," but is rooted in the Latin word disciplina, "teaching or knowledge," and also "military discipline."
Vocabulary lists containing disciplined
Ghost
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"La Vida Robot" and "Reading, Writing and... Recreation"
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From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The company’s workforce shrunk by 11% over the past year to around 6,200 people, and it will continue to be disciplined on costs to drive higher profitability, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
“This milestone represents $1 trillion of trust and disciplined investing—the fund’s growth is an outcome, not an objective,” the company said.
From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026
The kids were wild kids and disciplined kids.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026
It can make you a more disciplined, age-appropriate, tax-efficient and consistent investor.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 1, 2026
Grandma had always said that well-kept shoes were the mark of a disciplined individual.
From "Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High" by Melba Pattillo Beals
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
