disorderly

/dɪˈsɔrdərli/

/dɪsˈɔdəli/

Something that's disorderly is chaotic and messy, or unruly and out of control. A disorderly classroom might be the result of the teacher leaving for several minutes to answer a phone call.

It's one thing if your bedroom tends to be disorderly, with clothes and books scattered across the floor, but it's another thing to feel like your life itself is disorderly, confusing and unpredictable. Sometimes disorderly is used in a legal context to mean "destructive, or not law-abiding." You might be charged with disorderly conduct if you take part in a protest that's viewed by law enforcement as disorderly, or going against "law and and order."

Definitions of disorderly

1. adjective

   completely unordered and unpredictable and confusing
   synonyms: chaotic

   wild

   marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
2. adjective

   in utter disorder
   “a disorderly pile of clothes”

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

   untidy

   not neat and tidy
3. adjective

   undisciplined and unruly
   “disorderly youths”

   “disorderly conduct”

   synonyms:

   boisterous, rambunctious, robustious, rumbustious, unruly

   noisy and lacking in restraint or discipline

   mobbish, moblike

   characteristic of a mob; disorderly or lawless

   raucous, rowdy

   disturbing the public peace; loud and rough

   bare-knuckle, bare-knuckled, rough-and-tumble

   characterized by disorderly action and disregard for rules

   antonyms:

   orderly

   devoid of violence or disruption