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.
Unlike the disciplined cadre organisation of the Communists, Banerjee's party revolved around her own charisma and authority.
From BBC • May 5, 2026
Do them well, and you’re disciplined, capable, put-together.
From Salon • May 5, 2026
But the lesson isn’t that land forces are obsolete, it is that strategy must be disciplined.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026
“Our team delivered a strong start to the year, driven by resilient end markets and disciplined execution in a dynamic operating environment,” chairman and CEO Joe Creed said in a statement published Thursday.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026
They saw that Germany’s young people were motivated and disciplined.
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
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.
