disciplined
Americanadjective
Other Word 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.
This chart from Mark Rzepcznski of the Disciplined Systematic Global Macro blog shows that, this year, there’s a positive correlation between the 30-year Treasury and the S&P 500, while for other maturities it’s negative.
From MarketWatch • Nov. 6, 2025
Disciplined investors must always have a long-term plan to help guide their decision-making when others are panicking and selling.
From Barron's • Oct. 15, 2025
Disciplined but passive in the face of City's possessional dominance, Eddie Howe's men were fortunate to still be level after 45 minutes, with Julian Alvarez missing two decent chances.
From BBC • Sep. 27, 2023
Disciplined to the core and insisting on sharp mental focus, Grant went so far as to have his players practice standing at attention during the national anthem.
From Washington Post • Mar. 11, 2023
Disciplined by sorrow, Doreen could even at this dark hour consider the grief of others before her own.
From My Lords of Strogue Vol. III, (of III) A Chronicle of Ireland, from the Convention to the Union by Wingfield, Lewis
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.
