Standard Lemma guide

disorderly

adj · adv · noun · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /dɪsˈɔː.də.li/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH0 S AO1 R D ER0 L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Not in order; marked by disorder or disarray.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The books and papers are in a disorderly state.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Not acting in an orderly way, as the functions of the body or mind.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Not complying with the restraints of order and law; unruly; lawless.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • disorderly people; disorderly assemblies

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Offensive to good morals and public decency.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: law

Examples

  • a disorderly house

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adv

Meaning 5

In a confused or lawless manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A person who acts in a disorderly manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adjective

Meaning 7

undisciplined and unruly

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • disorderly youths
  • disorderly conduct

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: orderly

8

adjective satellite

Meaning 8

completely unordered and unpredictable and confusing

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: chaotic

Antonyms: none provided

9

adjective satellite

Meaning 9

in utter disorder

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a disorderly pile of clothes

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: higgledy-piggledy, hugger-mugger, jumbled, topsy-turvy

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From disorder + -ly (adjectival suffix) or from dis- + orderly.

From disorder + -ly (adverbial suffix) or from dis- + orderly.

Across languages

Translations

32 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: безпорядъчен (bezporjadǎčen) — not in order
  • Catalan: desordenat — not in order
  • Chinese Mandarin: 亂的 /乱的 (luàn de) — not in order
  • French: désordonné — not in order
  • Georgian: უწესრიგო (uc̣esrigo) — not in order
  • Georgian: მოუწესრიგებელი (mouc̣esrigebeli) — not in order
  • German: unordentlich — not in order
  • Ancient Greek: ἄτακτος (átaktos) — not in order
  • Ancient Greek: ἄκοσμος (ákosmos) — not in order
  • Hindi: अव्यवस्थित (avyavasthit) — not in order
  • Hindi: असंगठित (asaṅgṭhit) — not in order
  • Irish: ainrialta — not in order
  • Irish: caismirteach — not in order
  • Irish: clamprach — not in order
  • Irish: mí-iomprach — not in order
  • Irish: mí-ordúil — not in order
  • Irish: mírialta — not in order
  • Irish: trangláilte — not in order
  • Italian: disordinato — not in order
  • Japanese: 無秩序の (muchijo no) — not in order
  • Latin: incompositus — not in order
  • Persian: مغشوش — not in order
  • Plautdietsch: onordentlich — not in order
  • Polish: bezładny — not in order
  • Portuguese: desordenado — not in order
  • Portuguese: bagunçado — not in order
  • Romanian: dezordonat — not in order
  • Russian: беспоря́дочный (besporjádočnyj) — not in order
  • Tagalog: halawhaw — not in order
  • Turkish: karmakarışık — not in order
  • Turkish: darmadağınık — not in order
  • Ukrainian: безла́дний (bezládnyj) — not in order