1
as in messy
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness
I can never find anything in this untidy office
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sloppy
lacking neatness in dress or person
neighbors gossiped about the woman's rumpled and untidy children
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Recent Examples of untidy
Palermo is as untidy as life and as temperamental as a Sicilian lover.
—
Stanley Stewart, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 July 2024
Life unfolds in its untidy way, and tests commitments.
—Amy Dickinson, The Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2024
Bad parents of their own extended childhoods, struggling with the second, or third, act of untidy lives.
—Nick Bowlin, Harper's Magazine, 24 Mar. 2024
In a growing number of schools, days are marked by strict routines and detentions for minor infractions, like forgetting a pencil case or having an untidy uniform.
—Emma Bubola, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for untidy 
Stanley Stewart, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 July 2024
Life unfolds in its untidy way, and tests commitments.
—Amy Dickinson, The Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2024
Bad parents of their own extended childhoods, struggling with the second, or third, act of untidy lives.
—Nick Bowlin, Harper's Magazine, 24 Mar. 2024
In a growing number of schools, days are marked by strict routines and detentions for minor infractions, like forgetting a pencil case or having an untidy uniform.
—Emma Bubola, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for untidy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untidy
Adjective
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Think: Date nights, birthdays, team outings — anyone looking for a creative outlet who doesn't mind getting a little messy.—
McKenzie Rankin,
Axios,
8 Jan. 2025
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Entanglement gets messy To probe the inner structure of protons, scientists looked at high-energy particle collisions that have occurred in facilities like the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The word out of Arizona is that Kingsbury’s Cardinals teams were too often sloppy and undisciplined and that his full-team leadership skills and oversight have been lacking.—
Dan Wiederer,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Jan. 2025
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In the unreliable reality the older Owen inhabits, his favorite childhood show was in fact silly, sloppy, and decidedly low-stakes.—
Samantha Allen,
Them,
14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Republican lawmakers called the chaotic exit one of the darkest moments of Biden's administration.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
15 Jan. 2025
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Streets pulse with music, laughter, and a packed calendar of events, creating an electric atmosphere that draws both locals and visitors into one joyous and chaotic rhythm.—
Joyce Onuorah,
Essence,
14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Most wine lovers know that the word Sauvignon comes from the French word sauvage and the word blanc simply means white, but most people don’t know the reason is because when untrained vines of the variety have a distinctly unkempt appearance.—
Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen,
Robb Report,
4 Nov. 2024
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But, as in these United States, the key question remains whether creeping totalitarianism — from the left and the right — will squeeze everyday people out of their inalienable right to just be their sometimes obnoxious, unkempt, idiosyncratic selves.—
Ed Wallace,
New York Daily News,
6 June 2024
Adjective
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Continue on with Banana Republic’s shaggy knit cardigan, a pair of knee-high boots from Jeffrey Campbell, and finally, H&M’s leopard-print ’90s bag.—
Laura Jackson,
Vogue,
9 Jan. 2025
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And there's an endearingly shaggy side to this film, all the more shocking given its then-record cost.—
Darren Franich,
EW.com,
7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The daughter of Palestinian immigrants to America, Arabella is both confused and demanding.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2025
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Listen to this article Zach LaVine’s teammates are confused.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Slough House is headed by the slovenly, flatulent, and frequently intoxicated Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), who routinely heaps verbal abuse on his staff but is nonetheless a brilliant spymaster in his own smelly way.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
24 Dec. 2024
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Corruption within the organization, after all, is as much a part of the show as Jackson Lamb’s slovenly habits and horrible diet.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
9 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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In the earlier seasons of the show, characters were often filthy, caked with dirt and blood, clothes tattered.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
11 Jan. 2025
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My father was living alone in that dark, filthy room like an old animal wallowing in its own excrement.—
Lee Chang-dong,
The New Yorker,
22 Dec. 2024
Articles Related to untidy
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Cite this Entry
“Untidy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untidy. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.
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