organized

American  

[awr-guh-nahyzd] / ˈɔr gəˌnaɪzd /

adjective

1. formally affiliated in a recognized group or organization, especially a union.

   Organized dockworkers on the East Coast were preparing for a major strike.

2. having a formal structure or network of elements, especially to coordinate or carry out widespread activities.

   Fraud is often committed by highly sophisticated webs of organized crime.

3. characterized by neatness and order, with tasks planned, materials arranged, etc., for optimum efficiency.

   Mom was a very organized person who kept detailed grocery lists and a budget book.

   An organized classroom with defined areas and spaces can be helpful for younger students.

4. systematically formulated or followed; codified.

   Specialized stroke centers offer an organized approach to inpatient care.

   Catholicism, with a capital C, is an organized body of doctrine, belief, and worship.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of organize.

organized British  

/ ˈɔːɡəˌnaɪzd /

adjective

1. planned and controlled on a large scale and involving many people

   organized crime

2. orderly and efficient

   a highly organized campaign

3. (of the workers in a factory or office) belonging to a trade union

   organized labour

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Other Word Forms

• well-organized
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of organized

First recorded in 1810–20; organize + -ed ²

Explanation

If something’s organized, it’s arranged in a systematic, orderly way. If you’ve got a zillion baseball cards, keeping them organized is a good idea, so you can find Hank Aaron when you need him. If you're an organized person, you keep your desk clean, your house is neat, and you keep track what you need to accomplish and when. If you're a member of the circus workers' union, you're part of the organized labor movement. You and your fellow clowns can benefit from the fact that organized workers can bargain for higher wages as a group, and that generally works better than if you try to negotiate on your own. Even if you’re funny.

Example Sentences

Founded in 1874 by a group of friends in a dancing club, Hearts has been playing organized soccer since before the great Scottish inventions of the telephone, penicillin, or the deep-fried Mars bar.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

Nourafchan, who attended high school in Los Angeles, was active in a campus group organized around Chabad, a Hasidic Jewish organization, according to a 2015 article in Washingtonian magazine.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026

Despite no organized opposition, a flurry of cities, as well as the editorial board of the Los Angeles Daily News, have loudly spurned the idea, arguing it will make the region even less affordable.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

"Today's event serves as a signal to organized crime, telling them that very soon, they will no longer be the masters of any territory," Lula said in Brasilia.

From Barron's • May 12, 2026

As the Cabineers roamed through the South, stopping at towns for either prearranged or hastily organized matches, Whitaker as best player would invariably play board one, and Bobby board two.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Related Words

• coordinated
• formed
• formulated
• standardized