disorganization
Americannoun
-
a breaking up of order or system; disunion or disruption of constituent parts.
-
the absence of organization or orderly arrangement; disarrangement; disorder.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of disorganization
1785–95; < French désorganisation, equivalent to désorganis ( er ) to disorganize + -ation -ation
Explanation
Disorganization is a state of messiness or an inability to plan. Your disorganization might cause you to get bad grades in school, even if you're a brilliant writer and love math. Being organized or having a good organization system means you're neat, tidy, and disciplined about keeping track of things. The prefix dis- in disorganization makes it clear that it's the opposite of being organized — your disorganization means you're inefficient or sloppy instead. The words disorganize and disorganization were first used in English in the late 18th century, specifically in reference to the French Revolution, from the French désorganiser.
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:
On “The Bear,” his last guest star role, Albert Schnur knocks our trust off balance by swooping into Ebra’s life, expecting to find disorganization, and enthusiastically respecting that Ebra has his act together.
From Salon ● Dec. 21, 2025
Makary, for his part, has been frustrated with what he sees as HHS’s disorganization, people familiar with the matter said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 15, 2025
It’s an “Odd Couple”-type scenario, where Barb, a recently retired accountant and control freak, joins the committee as a volunteer and is aghast at Kath’s touchy-feely vibes and disorganization.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 18, 2024
Schizophrenia, a neurodevelopmental disorder that features psychosis among its symptoms, is thought to arise from disorganization in brain connectivity and functional integration.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2023
It took Bigwig no more than a moment to realize that if he said he was not, complete disorganization would follow.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
Now, the world would be insane and rabid, if these disorganizations should last for hundreds of years.
From Nature by Emerson, Ralph Waldo
The beneficent action of Apis, in intermittent fever, is still increased by the fact that it prevents the supervention of typhus, disorganizations of the spleen, dropsy, china-cachexia.
From Apis Mellifica or, The Poison of the Honey-Bee, Considered as a Therapeutic Agent by Wolf, C. W.
We had to observe in Johnson how much good a Prophet, under all disadvantages and disorganizations, can accomplish for the world.
From On Heroes and Hero Worship and the Heroic in History by Carlyle, Thomas
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.
