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Showing results for disorder. Search instead for TMJ disorders.
Synonyms

disorder

American  
[dis-awr-der] / dɪsˈɔr dər /

noun

  1. lack of order or regular arrangement; confusion.

    Your room is in utter disorder.

    Synonyms:
    clutter, litter, jumble, disarray, disorderliness
  2. an irregularity.

    a disorder in legal proceedings.

  3. breach of order; disorderly conduct; public disturbance.

    Synonyms:
    turbulence, riot
  4. a disturbance in physical or mental health or functions; malady or dysfunction.

    a mild stomach disorder.

    Synonyms:
    indisposition, sickness, complaint, illness, malady, ailment

verb (used with object)

  1. to destroy the order or regular arrangement of; disarrange.

    Synonyms:
    disorganize, disarray
  2. to derange the physical or mental health or functions of.

    Synonyms:
    confuse, upset, disturb
disorder British  
/ dɪsˈɔːdə /

noun

  1. a lack of order; disarray; confusion

  2. a disturbance of public order or peace

  3. an upset of health; ailment

  4. a deviation from the normal system or order

"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

verb

  1. to upset the order of; disarrange; muddle

  2. to disturb the health or mind of

"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

Related Words

Disorder, brawl, disturbance, uproar are disruptions or interruptions of a peaceful situation. Disorder refers to civil unrest or to any scene in which there is confusion or fighting: The police went to the scene of the disorder. A brawl is a noisy, unseemly quarrel, usually in a public place: a tavern brawl. A disturbance is disorder of a size as to inconvenience people: to cause a disturbance. An uproar is a tumult, a bustle and clamor of many voices, often because of a disturbance: a mighty uproar.

Other Word Forms

  • predisorder noun

Etymology

Origin of disorder

First recorded in 1470–80; dis- 1 + order

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.

Shift work disorder is linked to a range of serious concerns, including reduced mental sharpness, lower productivity, increased risk of car accidents, and more workplace injuries.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition that manifests differently in nearly every person who has it.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

Sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, may offer new hope for people living with Leigh syndrome, a rare and severe childhood disorder.

From Science Daily • Mar. 31, 2026

According to a recent study on wearable fitness users in Canada, where one in four people sport a wearable medical device, demographic characteristics associated with wearing devices to monitor sleep include having a mental disorder.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

Her son’s resistance to schoolwork was a mild disorder that many children go through, but his study of chess, an intellectual activity, was supplanting it.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady