- past participle of discipline.
- past tense form of discipline.
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.
Under coach Sergej Barbarez, a former professional poker player, the gritty Bosnians rarely gamble, instead playing a disciplined and physical style that emphasizes compactness and swift counterattacks.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026
The Indonesian telecom tower operator continues to expand its asset base in a disciplined manner, ending 1Q with around 36,572 towers and 181,700 kilometers of fibre optic network, the analysts note.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 29, 2026
Chief executive Tadeu Marroco said the cuts would make the company "more agile, cost disciplined and technology enabled".
From BBC • Jun. 29, 2026
The only blockades left are here in the Tropics of Cochabamba, which is highly disciplined.
From Barron's • Jun. 24, 2026
“When I asked for men, I had in mind men of the Night’s Watch, trained and disciplined, whose loyalty I should never have reason to doubt,” wrote Ser Denys.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
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.
