dishevelled
Britishadjective
-
(esp of hair) hanging loosely
-
(of general appearance) unkempt; untidy
Etymology
Origin of dishevelled
C15 dischevelee, from Old French deschevelé, from des- dis- 1 + chevel hair, from Latin capillus
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.
But Mr Bennett told BBC Radio Kent that British officials saw his father was "dishevelled and had lost a lot of weight", while his mother was not walking well due to prison conditions.
From BBC • Aug. 5, 2025
He says that John was dishevelled and confused: "He was just abandoned. He hardly went out of that room and it was in a terrible state."
From BBC • Mar. 29, 2025
It's a spectacular downfall for Silicon Valley's dishevelled wunderkind, who rubbed elbows with celebrities like Gisele and Tom Brady.
From BBC • Nov. 3, 2023
Her blue eyes still retained their melting quality; and her yellow hair, dishevelled by the wind and rain, kinked more stubbornly than ever about her ears and temples.
From Textbooks • Dec. 21, 2021
Wild-eyed and dishevelled, he seemed to shrink back from the light, and closed the door behind us.
From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins
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.
