tousled

American  

[tou-zuhld] / ˈtaʊ zəld /

adjective

1. disordered or disheveled.

   tousled hair; tousled clothes.

   Synonyms:

   untidy, tangled, messy

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Etymology

Origin of tousled

First recorded in 1840–50; tousle + -ed ²

Explanation

Anything that's tousled is rumpled or disheveled, like your tousled hair when you first get out of bed in the morning. The adjective tousled can be used for anything that's untidy, but you'll usually see it describing a head of hair. Tousled hair is messy, windblown, or otherwise unkempt. The verb tousle came first—today it means "make untidy," but originally to tousle was "to handle or push roughly."

Example Sentences

Tousled gray curls dangle over his forehead, and a gray mustache and goatee trace their path around his mouth and down his neck.

From Washington Times • Mar. 2, 2015

Tousled hair, smudged eyeliner, dewy lips and luminous skin are in.

From New York Times • Jan. 18, 2012

Tousled, windblown locks, known as “beach hair,” are so sought-after that it’s no longer just for seaside.

From New York Times • Jun. 22, 2011

Tousled, dignified, looking like a dirty-blonde middle sister to Joan Jett and Bonnie Raitt, Williams appeared to be reading lyrics to alt-country classics like "Drunken Angel" and "I Lost It" from a three-ring binder.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 22, 2010

Tousled black hair like brush hanging over a high bank, and ridged creases in his forehead.

From The Black Tide by Stangland, Arthur G.