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Synonyms

disjointed

American  
[dis-join-tid] / dɪsˈdʒɔɪn tɪd /

adjective

  1. having the joints or connections separated.

    a disjointed fowl.

  2. disconnected; incoherent.

    a disjointed discourse.

    Synonyms:
    unorganized, chaotic, confused, rambling
  3. Entomology. disjunct.


disjointed British  
/ dɪsˈdʒɔɪntɪd /

adjective

  1. having no coherence; disconnected

  2. separated at the joint

  3. dislocated

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • disjointedly adverb
  • disjointedness noun
  • undisjointed adjective

Etymology

Origin of disjointed

First recorded in 1580–90; disjoint + -ed 2

Explanation

Disjointed isn’t when you can bend your thumb all the way backwards — that’s double-jointed. Disjointed means "unorganized" or "disconnected." Disjointed is an adjective that describes something as disconnected, illogical, or just messed up. A disjointed argument is an argument that doesn’t make a lot of sense. The same can be said for a disjointed sentence or a disjointed speech. In a medical sense, disjointed means "dislocated," or “separated at the joint.” When someone gets injured, they may end up with a disjointed shoulder or a disjointed hip.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing disjointed

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.

And Variety's Alison Herman said the show is "never not entertaining" but now "feels like entertaining but disjointed fan fiction".

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

The Lakers looked disjointed early as LeBron James, Doncic and Reaves combined on seven-for-28 shooting in the first half.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026

This disjointed display was the least impressive of his brief reign, but Carrick will take heart from the way his players refused to accept defeat.

From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026

But our disjointed, patchwork healthcare-payment system is impossible to understand and out of control.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 26, 2026

The carcass now sank down, and they disjointed shoulder and thigh bone, wrapping them in fat, two layers, folded, with raw strips of flesh.

From "The Odyssey" by Homer