dishevelled

British

/ dɪˈʃɛvəld /

adjective

(esp of hair) hanging loosely
(of general appearance) unkempt; untidy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of dishevelled

C15 dischevelee, from Old French deschevelé, from des- _dis- ¹ + chevel hair, from Latin capillus

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.

See Examples For:

dishevelled

The friendly tabby was in great health, her fur was fine and she did not look "dishevelled".

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

They're dishevelled because they've just got off a bus to Glasgow, ahead of show 82.

From BBC ● Jan. 5, 2026

Alison said the men made it to the villa in a dishevelled state.

From BBC ● Dec. 31, 2025

It's a spectacular downfall for Silicon Valley's dishevelled wunderkind, who rubbed elbows with celebrities like Gisele and Tom Brady.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2023

I shouted at her through the dishevelled blanket.

From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023