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:
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
Neeson’s Frank, like his father, is too caught up in disorganization and romance to do his job properly.
From Salon ● Aug. 1, 2025
Is clutter and disorganization killing your motivation to cook?
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 12, 2024
It’s also controversial, difficult to define and a magnet for misinformation, and so even the appearance of infighting and disorganization among supporters could easily doom it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 2, 2024
You have probably read of the disorganization and discouragement of this army after General Pope’s defeat at Bull Run.
From "Across Five Aprils" by Irene Hunt
Now, the world would be insane and rabid, if these disorganizations should last for hundreds of years.
From Nature by Emerson, Ralph Waldo
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
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.
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.
