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.
When the security forces went in, they found a dishevelled 69-year-old man who had suffered several strokes.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
Cabin manager co-workers later found him at the bottom of the stairs "dishevelled, pale, sweaty and erratic".
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 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
During his second stint at the university, Tristram Hunt, the former Labour MP and now head of the V&A Museum, joked that then roommate Mr Kwarteng was "quite ungovernable and dishevelled".
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2022
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
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