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

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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

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verb

1. to upset the order of; disarrange; muddle

2. to disturb the health or mind of

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

Explanation

Disorder is a lack of order — in other words, chaos, clutter, and general disarray. If everyone in your class is yelling and throwing things, there's no order: there's disorder. If all the library books are out of order and thrown sloppily on the shelf, that's disorder, too. If you mess or mix something up, you're disordering it. Many medical conditions and diseases are also called disorders, like post-traumatic stress disorder. Whenever there's disorder, something is wrong or out of whack.

Example Sentences

“You don’t want this for your kid,” said Marni Levine, a college counselor from Marlboro, N.J., whose now-adult daughter was diagnosed with an auditory processing disorder in high school.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

There are also psychiatric factors including anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

The change reflects a broader scientific understanding of the condition as a multisystem disorder that affects metabolic, hormonal, reproductive and mental health — not simply a condition defined by ovarian cysts.

From Salon • May 16, 2026

Maddock had previously seen low choline levels in studies of people with panic disorder.

From Science Daily • May 16, 2026

Gabriel said he had an anxiety disorder and the small environment was more comfortable for him, but Ethan never revealed his reasons.

From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson

Related Words

• chaos
• complication
• disturbance
• lawlessness
• trouble
• unrest