Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of disheveled
1375–1425; late Middle English discheveled < Old French deschevele, past participle of descheveler to dishevel the hair, equivalent to des- dis- 1 + -cheveler, derivative of chevel a hair < Latin capillus
Explanation
The meaning of disheveled hasn't changed much from the 16th and 17th centuries, when it referred to disordered clothing or hair. If your brother were coming in from the snow, you could blame static and hat-hair for his disheveled look, but no, he just never uses a comb. People or things that are disheveled are kind of a mess. Wrinkled clothes, knotted hair, and a chaotic house might earn the adjective disheveled. There are a lot of synonyms for disheveled, including "disordered," "sloppy," and "cluttered." A person can look disheveled when getting up in the morning, and some people even adopt a disheveled look on purpose, trying to appear casual about grooming and dressing while working hard to achieve just the right unwashed and mussed-up style.
Vocabulary lists containing disheveled
Shear Genius: Hairy Vocabulary
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Anti-Antonyms: Words Without Opposites
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100 Words to Make You Sound Smart
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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.
She posed dirtied, disheveled and apparently desperate in front of a spotless stoop — then hit post on Instagram.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026
When Jackie was rescued from the shore of Big Bear Lake weeks ago, she was underweight and disheveled.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026
But when he opened the door, he looked disheveled, like he had stood up from his desk and run down the hall.
From Salon ● May 27, 2026
Still, with his chest-hugging T-shirt and rugged handsomeness, Mr. Bernthal recalls John Travolta in his early prime rather than the sweaty, disheveled but endearing desperado memorably created by Mr. Pacino.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 31, 2026
Mom was in her work clothes, but her hair was disheveled.
From "The Thing About Jellyfish" by Ali Benjamin
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
