disheveled
Say it: dih-SHEV-uld /dɪˈʃɛvəld/ · adjective
What “disheveled” means
Looking untidy, with messy hair or clothes.
More precisely: Untidy in hair, clothes or general appearance.
Example: “He arrived disheveled after cycling through the rain to the interview.”
When to use it
For someone whose hair or clothes look untidy. Usually descriptive or gently critical; the British spelling is “dishevelled”.
Similar words
messy, unkempt, rumpled
Quick check
You wake from a sofa nap with tangled hair, a crooked collar and a crumpled shirt. You look…
exhausted or disheveled?
Show the answer
disheveled
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