adjective
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untidy; irregular
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uncontrolled; unruly
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law violating public peace or order
adverb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of disorderly
Explanation
Something that's disorderly is chaotic and messy, or unruly and out of control. A disorderly classroom might be the result of the teacher leaving for several minutes to answer a phone call. It's one thing if your bedroom tends to be disorderly, with clothes and books scattered across the floor, but it's another thing to feel like your life itself is disorderly, confusing and unpredictable. Sometimes disorderly is used in a legal context to mean "destructive, or not law-abiding." You might be charged with disorderly conduct if you take part in a protest that's viewed by law enforcement as disorderly, or going against "law and and order."
Vocabulary lists containing disorderly
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.
Disorderly in its construction, “Tristram Shandy” is ribald and risqué in its content, yet charitable and affecting in tone.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026
Disorderly strikes and protests are rare in Japan, and the strikers apologized on camera in Japanese TV news reports, for any inconvenience they may be causing the public.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 31, 2023
"Disorderly conduct," said former Gallup-McKinley Assistant Principal Ron Triplehorn, "is going to be kind of your catchall, just kind of a generic term for general misbehavior."
From Salon • Dec. 22, 2022
Disorderly defaults on government debt would cause stock and bond prices to gyrate on Wall Street.
From Washington Post • Apr. 13, 2020
Disorderly spectators may be removed by the sergeant-at-arms.
From Studies in Civics by McCleary, J. T. (James Thompson)
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.
