Disorderly: meaning, definitions and examples

Use when describing a situation or behavior that lacks order and involves confusion. It often has a legal or formal nuance.

• The crowd became disorderly during the protest

Appropriate for situations where there is complete confusion and lack of order, often on a large scale.

• After the storm, the city streets were chaotic

Similar to 'messy', but often refers more to lack of neatness or order rather than dirtiness.

• His untidy desk had papers strewn all over it

Best for describing something or someone that lacks structure or planning.

• His disorganized notes made it hard to study for the exam

Used for describing physical spaces or situations that are dirty or cluttered.

• Her room was so messy that you couldn't see the floor

Used in situations where there is a lack of organization or control, often implying unacceptable or disruptive behavior.

• The protest turned disorderly as people began to shout and push.
• His room was so disorderly that you could barely see the floor.

Describes actions or situations that are extremely disorganized and confusing, without any apparent order.

• The books were chaotically scattered across the room after the earthquake.
• She packed her suitcase chaotically, just throwing everything inside.

Refers to doing something in a random or careless way, without any system or planning.

• The documents were haphazardly piled on the desk.
• He haphazardly painted the wall, resulting in a rather uneven finish.

Describes something done in a sloppy or untidy manner, often resulting in a lot of disorder.

• She ate the spaghetti messily, with sauce everywhere.
• The kids played with their toys messily, leaving them all over the room.