tousled

[ tou-zuhld ]

adjective

1. disordered or disheveled:

   tousled hair; tousled clothes.

   Synonyms: untidy, tangled, messy

Word History and Origins

Origin of tousled¹

First recorded in 1840–50; tousle + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Her head bobbing, hair tousled, and eye-makeup running, she questions the actions of the officers.

From The Daily Beast

A few minutes later, Ferguson, having been revived, sat on the sideline, helmet off, hair tousled, dazed.

From The Daily Beast

Hair Cressida: Tousled, shoulder-length, just-got-out-of-bed blonde mop.

From The Daily Beast

Cara: Tousled, shoulder-length, just-got-out-of-bed blonde mop.

From The Daily Beast

The mother of two appears topless, in a pair of assless chaps, with her short hair tousled just-so.

From The Daily Beast

In one corner was a four-poster bed with the faded peacock-blue dressing-gown pendent below a tousled nightcap of gray silk.

From Project Gutenberg

Rays from the low-hanging sun shone through his ruddy, tousled hair, making it gleam like living flame.

From Project Gutenberg

She smiled lazily as she reflected that he would take to mothering; his curly hair begged to be smoothed and tousled.

From Project Gutenberg

He was already a notable figure of forceful eloquence and tousled, unkempt hair.

From Project Gutenberg

The tousled head nodded dumbly; two big tears trickled down the reddened cheeks.

From Project Gutenberg