disheveled

adjective

di·​shev·​eled di-ˈshev-əld How to pronounce disheveled (audio)
variants or dishevelled
: marked by disorder or disarray
disheveled hair

Did you know?

Disheveled comes from Middle English discheveled, meaning "bareheaded" or "with disordered hair." That word is partially based on Anglo-French deschevelé, a combination of the prefix des- ("dis-") and chevoil ("hair"). In English, disheveled describes things other than hair that have a messy or untidy appearance.

Examples of disheveled in a Sentence

His wrinkled suit gave him a disheveled appearance. They looked dirty and disheveled.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Cyrus’s disheveled appearance, moreover, was alarming enough that his son, Trace Cyrus, went public on social media with his concerns about his father’s well-being, the Daily Mail also reported. Martha Ross, Mercury News, 21 Apr. 2025 Her emotional promo alongside a disheveled Bianca Belair was a peak into WWE’s next era of Black Cinema. Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025 Featuring a disheveled fringe that stops just a few millimeters above the eyebrows, Jane Austen bangs are typically slightly rounded and can be worn either wavy, curly, or straight. Irene Coltrinari, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2025 The trailer reveals that DiCaprio plays Bob Ferguson, a wacky, disheveled revolutionary who’s trying to save his daughter. Matt Minton, Variety, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for disheveled

Word History

Etymology

Middle English discheveled bareheaded, with disordered hair, partial translation of Anglo-French deschevelé, from des- dis- + chevoil hair, from Latin capillus

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of disheveled was in 1583

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Cite this Entry

“Disheveled.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disheveled. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

disheveled

adjective
variants or dishevelled
: marked by disorder
disheveled hair

More from Merriam-Webster on disheveled

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