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disarray

disarray

24 4.8
A state when the mind is confused and not thinking clearly
  • noun
  • /ˌdɪsəˈreɪ/
translation icon : confusión
  • Wulf returned to a camp stalked by death, his carefully-laid plans in disarray.
  • fall into disarray
  • economic disarray
  • considerable disarray

I just wonder if, I don't know if America is in complete disarray.

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Examples

  • The result would be a dangerous timidity and disarray in the conduct of U.S. foreign policy.

    Academic text (1990)
  • Within months, the presidency would be in considerable disarray and the President would be in danger of political destruction.

    Academic text (2014)
  • The past 100 years, our society had fallen into disarray.

  • The Democratic party was in terrific disarray.

  • The Navy closed its musician schools following World War I, and its band program fell into disarray.

    Academic text (2015)
  • A China in political and economic disarray cannot be a stabilizing force in the region or the world.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Now the US government is clearly in total disarray after all those years of mismanagement.

    Blog text (29)
  • Fatah, which currently represents Palestinians in the U.S.-led peace talks, is in disarray.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The Democratic Party has been in the dumps psychologically, and in disarray ideologically.

  • She struggled to focus on her work because her thoughts were in a constant state of disarray.

Synonyms

mess
vsdisarray
1.0

A situation in which things are untidy and confused

is limited to muddled thinking and behaviour rather than physical untidiness
confusion
vsdisarray
389 1.8

A time when things are not organized and people do not know what to think or do

focuses more narrowly on unclear thought and behaviour rather than general uncertainty
turmoil
vsdisarray
138 4.8

A time of great confusion and disorder

is milder describing lack of clear thought rather than upheaval
disorder
vsdisarray
31 3.7

A state in which things or places are not arranged

is about unclear untidy thinking and behaviour rather than simple arrangement
jumble
vsdisarray
20 4.6

A confused mixture of things or ideas

applies to chaotic thought and behaviour rather than mixed items
disorientation
vsdisarray
18 6.7

Feeling confused about where you are, who you are, or what is real

is broader lack of clear thought and orderly behaviour beyond location or identity doubt
muddle
vsdisarray
9 5.0

A confused, disorganized situation where things are not in order

focuses on unclear thinking and behaviour rather than general disorder
in a mess
vsdisarray
9 1.6

Something that is untidy and not in order

focuses on chaotic thinking and behaviour more than physical untidiness
disorganization
vsdisarray
  • US
7 3.8

A lack of order or system that makes things untidy

focuses on chaotic thought and behaviour rather than system failure
mental confusion
vsdisarray
1 4.9

A state when a person cannot think clearly and feels lost

has identical meaning but is the single-word label
discombobulation
vsdisarray
  • Informal
1 9.8

A feeling of confusion and embarrassment that makes it hard to think

describes general unclear thinking and behaviour without added embarrassment
shambles
vsdisarray
  • Informal
1 5.5

A place or situation that is very messy and out of order

refers to lack of clear thought and behaviour rather than sole physical ruin
derangement
vsdisarray
1 8.5

A state when things like papers or furniture are not in their usual place

applies to unclear thought and behaviour rather than general abnormality
disjointedness
vsdisarray
1 7.7

Lack of clear connection or order that makes something hard to follow

is about chaotic thought and behaviour rather than missing links between parts
confusedness
vsdisarray
6.5

A feeling of not thinking or acting clearly

emphasizes lack of clear orderly thought and behaviour rather than inner feeling
muddiness
vsdisarray
7.4

A state when thoughts are unclear and you cannot think well

refers to broader lack of orderly thought and behaviour rather than vague thoughts
muddlement
vsdisarray
7.9

A state of confusion where things are unclear or messy

is specifically about lack of clear thought and orderly behaviour
in great confusion
vsdisarray
5.2

With much hurry and disorder

is about poor or unclear thinking rather than frantic busy action

Antonyms

30 2.7

How easy it is to see through something like clean water

3 3.6

A way of keeping things neat and in the right place

How Confused

chaos
438 3.1
disarray
24 4.8
confusion
389 1.8

Surface Forms

disarray singular
disarrays plural

Morphology

disarray = array (semi-transparent) = dis + array

The idea of disorder can be derived from 'dis-' plus 'array', but the abstract mental-confusion sense is an extension and the relevant sense of 'array' is not highly familiar to many learners.

Etymology

Disarray The word dis- means 'not' and array means 'order' or 'arrangement', so when your mind is in disarray it is 'not in order' and you feel confused.